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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 23: Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews marches with protesters as they take part in a rally organised by the ACTU on October 23, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. The rally is part ACTU's Change the Rules campaign, calling for improved wages to keep up with the cost of living. Marches were held simultaneously around Australia.
Victoria's pandemic management bill, which is still being debated in the state's upper house, is causing a divide among residents.
According to reports, the proposed laws will likely replace the State of Emergency strategy that Victoria has been using since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Pandemic management bill features several changes
Some of the amendments being proposed as part of the State of Emergency include significant reductions in fines for breaching public health orders, strengthening the protection of human rights, a stronger threshold for declaring a pandemic, and more.
According to Sky News Australia, the proposed bill will remove the Chief of Health Officer as the person in charge of declaring a pandemic. Instead, the Chief of Health Officer will give this important role to the premier. The latter will also have the power to extend a state of emergency for three months.
Additionally, the parliament doesn't need to approve the pandemic orders that the Health Minister will carry out. And refusal to follow these orders could result in a two-year jail time.
Matthew Guy slams Victoria's pandemic management bill
Victorian opposition leader Matthew Guy thinks that the proposed laws are an incredible attack on democracy. He also claimed that the pandemic management bill would put Victorians in another lockdown, which they've dealt with repeatedly. Just like Guy, Victoria's Ombudsman, Deborah Glass also thinks that the proposal lacked independence.
Victorian Bar president Roisin Annesley QC claimed that the amendments did not protect the rule of law in the state.
"The proposed amendments largely address low priority issues and not the most fundamental problems with the bill. The major issues include the lack of effective parliamentary control over the minister's pandemic orders and the lack of provision for an independent review of authorized officers exercise of power," Annesley said via ABC.net.au.
Demonstrators are calling for Premier Daniel Andrews' firing
Even though the pandemic management bill has not yet been implemented, thousands of upset Victorians flocked to the state of parliament in the hopes of making their voices heard.
One of the demonstrators believes that the bill should be scrapped because it reportedly takes away their freedom. A second protester revealed that she's demonstrating because members of her family lost their jobs due to the ongoing vaccine mandates in the state. The Victoria resident also said that the unemployment made it impossible for their family to pay for their mortgage and other bills.
Some protesters have also been calling for Premier Daniel Andrews' firing over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria.
However, Andrews stood by the pandemic bill and said that it is, perhaps, one of the best created in different parts of the world. Andrews also said that he hopes the Legislative Council will pass the bill at the end of the week.
Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick echoed Andrews' statement by saying that the laws are necessary to protect the community.
According to 9News.com.au, the number of protesters will likely double in the coming days until a final decision is made at the end of the week.
Related Article: Victoria's Deputy Premier James Merlino Announces Free, At-Home Antigen Tests For Unvaccinated, Partially Vaccinated Students
