Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews has made his first pandemic declaration since the controversial powers were passed.
The new laws were introduced to replace the existing emergency parameters which were set to expire on December 15 – marking 640 days since it was first declared on March 16 last year.
Under the legislation – which was extensively amended – the government is required to table the justifications or health advice provided by the minister and Chief Health Officer within 10 days. The Pandemic Management Bill handed the Health Minister broad-ranging abilities to declare “any order” which was not limited in scope in the legislation and which included the authority to enforce detention orders.
The first pandemic declaration has come after a mammoth debate in the Victorian Parliament which forced the Andrews Government to twice negotiate with upper house crossbench MPs.
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