MPs look to set limits on pandemic powers of Premier’s ‘gang of eight’

By Noel Towell, 📷: Nine
Victoria’s opposition and crossbench politicians are demanding to be allowed back into the state’s political process, saying the Andrews government is limiting personal freedoms in the COVID-19 crisis without democratic scrutiny.
Police have extraordinary powers to stop, fine and even detain Victorians while enforcing the shutdown regime, but State Parliament, the major check on the government, was sent home last month and it is unclear when it will return…
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Reason Party MP Fiona Patten, whose office marshalled most of the usually fractious upper house crossbench to sign a joint appeal to the government to let Parliament play a role, said she was supportive of the efforts to “flatten the curve” but not without democratic oversight.
The Northern Metro MP, along with her fellow crossbenchers want a multi-party committee such as the one set up by the Federal Parliament with the agreement of the Morrison government, to act as a stopgap oversight body.
“Significant infringements on the civil liberties of all Victorians are occurring without the proper scrutiny of non-government members of the Parliament and that’s just not acceptable,” Ms Patten said.
Read full article on The Age.