Leader of the Reason Party and Member for Northern Metropolitan, Fiona Patten MP, has today called on all sides politics to exhibit leadership in the community interest as MPs wrestle with the task of returning to parliament, again, next week.
Ms Patten has written to the President of Victoria’s Upper House Nazih Elasmar, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton and fellow cross-bench members to establish how the parliament can sit safely next week.
“I can’t think of a more important time for the Parliament of Victoria to sit than now,” said Ms Patten. The Government is exercising unprecedented powers and the people of Victoria rightly deserve to have decisions during this period scrutinised.
“The Parliament is not the Government, and as the prime decision-making body in this state, must meet. It would be a travesty to suggest that the parliament is not essential at this time or any other time for that matter.”
Ms Patten said she was surprised to hear the opposition leader calling for the Premier’s resignation today.
“What Victoria needs now is leadership not opposition for oppositions sake,” said Ms Patten.
“Calling for the Premier to resign, dodging questions about the Liberals own mistakes in regards to aged care during the Covid19 pandemic and basically slinging mud because apparently ‘that’s what an opposition does’, is unhelpful and will be seen for what it is by the Victorian public – raw politics at a time when we need to come together.
“Has this Andrews government had issues handling this pandemic? Most certainly yes and no doubt many of those questions, and answers, will come when parliament sits and that is the right and proper way for the government’s actions to be scrutinised. But when we are dealing with a once in a 100-year event, in the most unprecedented times any Government has operated under, I think it behoves all sides to approach matters with some caution. It’s a moving beast.”
“Perhaps Mr O’Brien should be the one to resign and let someone who can work constructively for the community take his place if it’s not something he’s up to”, said Ms Patten.
“A gentle reminder for Mr O’Brien and his fellow Liberal Party members,” Ms Patten said.
“The crossbenchers now outnumber the opposition – they might do well to remember that. Perhaps there should not be an Opposition at all in the Upper House – just non-Government MPs.”
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