Tasmania comes to aid as Victoria struggles with virus’ second wave

Premier Peter Gutwein has revealed Tasmania is sending aid to the mainland to deal with the latest COVID-19 outbreak, as the North West enquiry progresses. Details >>

TASMANIA has come to the aid of Victoria as it deals with a second wave of coronavirus cases.

In state Parliament this morning, Premier Peter Gutwein revealed Tasmania had provided testing support as Victoria grapples with a fresh outbreak of the deadly infection.

Mr Gutwein also said a wide-ranging inquiry into the outbreak of coronavirus in the state’s North West will be headed by a senior lawyer.

The outbreak, centred on the North West Regional Hospital, lead to 127 infections and 11 deaths.

Mr Gutwein said Greg Melick SC will will complete his report by the end of October and it would be released in full to the public.

PREMIER SAYS LOCALS SAFE FROM VIC SPIKE

Th news came in response to a question from Opposition leader Rebecca White, who said many businesses had been suffering because of how long the government was taking to ease back on restrictions.

Ms White asked Mr Gutwein why he had not gone further to ease rules around social distancing, particularly those affecting business.

Mr Gutwein told parliament the question from the Opposition leader was an example of Labor “flip-flopping”

“Everybody in this house knows we have an older and more vulnerable population,” he said.

He said Ms White had initially called for a hard lockdown such as that employed in New Zealand.

BUSINESS, AIRPORT, CLAMOUR FOR FLIGHTS TO RESUME

“If the leader of the opposition had had her way we would be in even deeper trouble than we are now,” he said.

He said the government needed to be cautions and sensible in dealing with the coronavirus threat.

“The world is burning at the moment, the world is burning, More than nine million cases, half a million people have died.”

Mr Gutwein is expected to make an announcement about he remaining coronavirus restrictions later today.