Premier Jacinta Allan refuses to reveal details behind Covid curfew call

Victoria’s Premier has dodged questions about the decision to implement a Covid curfew on Melburnians, after an explosive document revealed the measure was not based on public health advice.

Premier Jacinta Allan has refused to reveal details about how a controversial decision to lock millions of Victorians in their homes under a Covid curfew was ticked off after it was revealed the draconian rule was not based on public health advice.

In her first press conference since the Sunday Herald Sun revealed a decision to enforce a strict curfew in 2020 was not based on advice from experts, Ms Allan refused to explain who came up with the idea, who supported it in cabinet and whether she lied to Victorians.

Instead, Ms Allan claimed a seven-member crisis cabinet had been tasked by health experts to “look at measures to limit the movement of people”.

“And this decision was entirely consistent with that advice at the time,” she said.

Jacinta Allan won’t explain who came up with the Covid curfew and who supported it in cabinet. Picture: David Crosling

Explosive details released under Freedom of Information laws, following a 4.5 year battle between senior Liberal David Davis and the state government, show the decision to lock Victorians in their homes between 8pm and 5am for two months was “not occurring on public health advice but is a decision taken by Cabinet”.

In an email sent in August 2020 by then chief health officer Brett Sutton to former public health commander Finn Romanes he noted that the cabinet briefings did not even contain “a written consideration of a curfew”.

“Having been off duty for two days and having missed key conversations and considerations I have not seen any specific written assessment of the requirement for a curfew, although I am satisfied that it is Premier and Cabinet’s clear intention that the action of a curfew is required at the current time, based on the press conference viewed at 2:30pm today,” he wrote.

Jacinta Allan and then premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: David Geraghty

Ms Allan, who is the only remaining MP from the crisis cabinet to have signed off on the extreme measure, dodged multiple questions about the files on Wednesday.

Here’s what she said:

Reporter: FOI files show a COVID curfew that was introduced in 2020 wasn’t based on health advice and was instead a decision that was made by cabinet. Why did cabinet make that decision to introduce the curfew?

Jacinta Allan: Well, … reflecting back on that period of time … what was a priority for the public health officials and the government at the time was to have a focus on protecting the lives and livelihoods of Victorians as we worked through the challenges of an unprecedented and deadly global pandemic ….

And that is why the decisions that were all made were working with those public health officials, and the decision that you’re referring to was also ultimately authorised by the public health officials.

Reporter: They didn’t come up with the idea, though. So who did come up with the idea for a curfew?

Jacinta Allan: Let’s be clear, the advice from the public health officials, the advice from the chief health officer at the time was to look at what could be done to limit movement, and this was particularly important advice when we consider just how deadly and just how dangerous this virus was …

And it was through working with public health officials at the time that the government at the time these decisions were made.

Then chief health officer Sutton revealed in September 2020 that it was not his call to implement a curfew. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Reporter: The advice, though, wasn’t given by public health officials for this specific introduction of a curfew. So who made the decision? Was it Daniel Andrews who made the decision to introduce to introduce a curfew?

Jacinta Allan: As I’ve stepped you through … all the decisions were ultimately signed off by the public health officials.

Reporter: It wasn’t their idea, though.

Jacinta Allan: As part of that process, working with public health officials on this particular matter, the advice from the public health officials, from the then chief health officer, was look at doing what needed to be done to limit movement because this was how the virus was spreading …

As I have emphasised, as the former premier at the time went through in great detail, these decisions were made with a focus on protecting the lives and livelihoods of Victorians in the face of a global pandemic, a virus that was killing people.

The explosive details were revealed after a 4.5 year battle between senior Liberal David Davis and the state government. Picture: Ian Currie

Reporter: When one of your colleagues in cabinet raised this as an idea, did you oppose it?

Jacinta Allan: Well, first and foremost, I’m not going to go and comment on cabinet discussions, no matter what the circumstance. Cabinet discussions are always confidential ….

And there was a team of people working together, working together with that singular focus on how we could support the Victorian community.

Reporter: At the time you and your colleagues, including the former premier, though, said to Victorians that it was about public health advice. It was the decision made on public health advice. Did you lie to Victorians?

Jacinta Allan: The advice from the public health officials at the time was to look at what needed to what needed to be done to limit movement … and those final orders were signed off by the public health officials.

And again, I think Victorians can well remember how the former premier and the former public health officials, the former chief health officer, went into great detail in explaining both what the decisions were, but also why.

Jacinta Allan has refused to commen on the process that was undertaken to decide the curfew. Picture: David Crosling

Reporter: The explanation, though, given to Victorians, was that this curfew was based on public health advice. The files released through FOI show that that was not the case. It was not on public health advice. So who made the decision? Did you support it at the time, and why did you lie to Victorians about it being on public health advice?

Jacinta Allan: That last point I absolutely reject.

Reporter: So you didn’t say it was on public health advice?

Jacinta Allan: The advice at the time, the former premier and the former chief health official explained in great detail why these measures are important, why they were focused on protecting the health and well being of the Victorian community.

Reporter: Why fight the release of these files for four and a half years?

Jacinta Allan: There was a process that was undertaken that was based on the advice of officials, and I’m not going to comment on that process.

Originally published as Premier Jacinta Allan refuses to reveal details behind Covid curfew call