2021-10-20 08:42:48
Victoria lockdown: Daniel Andrews ordered to reveal secret Covid-19 documents |
Anthony Piovesan for Daily Telegraph
Secret documents that informed the Andrews government’s controversial decision to plunge Victoria into lockdown must be released, a state privacy watchdog has ruled.
In a bombshell decision, the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) ordered the release of 176 Department of Health documents that guided the government’s decision to enforce stage 4 lockdown restrictions across the state on February 12.
At the time, chief health officer Brett Sutton and Premier Daniel Andrews enforced the five-day “circuit-breaker” shutdown to try to suppress the UK variant of Covid-19.
It would be the first time such sensitive briefing material has been made publicly available.
The Department of Health tried to block the release of the material, saying the files revealed “high-level deliberative processes of government” and risked jeopardising trust between public officials and a Minister.
It also argued releasing the material “could mislead members of the public”.
But in a ruling seen by NCA NewsWire, OVIC deputy commissioner Joanne Kummrow disagreed, saying: “I consider members of the public are capable of understanding the role and powers of the chief health officer to make decisions and issue directions under the public health and wellbeing act.”
She also ruled that details in the documents “contained a substantial amount of publicly available information”.
Ms Kummrow said one document held important information about the Victorian government’s Covid-19 response, including a rationale for public health orders.
“I consider there is significant public interest in providing members of the community the ability to participate in such processes and to hold governments to account for the decisions it has made,” she said.
“The documents describe the reasons for placing restrictions on the movements of members of the community, including in relation to sensitive matters, such as hospital visits. These decisions have a profound effect on the lives of Victorians.
“In these circumstances, members of the community have a right to access documents that describe the background information considered, the reasons, the legal basis for, and documents that record those decisions.”
The Department of Health has 14 days to appeal against the decision with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
OVIC upheld a decision not to release five documents due to legal privilege.
Victorian upper house opposition leader David Davis has been calling for the release of the documents since the February lockdown was enforced.
He said Victorians deserved to know the reasons why they were locked down.
“The Andrews Labor government through its health officers has clamped down families, school kids and businesses on the basis of ‘health advice’ it says, yet it has never once released the formal written briefs relied on by the chief health officer or delegate,” he said.
Mr Davis called on Mr Andrews “to come clean” and provide the documents in full.
“The failure to release this critical advice can only result in further reduction in the credibility of him and his government,” he said.
“It’s a scandal these documents have been kept secret all the way through the pandemic.”
Mr Andrews was absent at Wednesday’s Covid-19 briefing, but Creative Industries Minister Danny Pearson appeared instead and was questioned about the documents.
He refused to explicitly say if the documents would be released publicly.
“These documents are not my documents,” he said.
“As I understand it, the Department of Health will consider this.”
In a statement, a Department of Health spokesman said: “The Department of Health will take the appropriate time to properly review OVIC’s decision before any further action is considered.”
https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/politics/andrews-government-ordered-to-reveal-secret-documents-that-justify-victorian-lockdown/news-story/4954176823fbf13b4e3e2c6ae1d56d98
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