Daniel Andrews wins vote to pass pandemic bill after minister says he needs powers to fight Omicron

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is one step closer to passing his controversial pandemic bill through parliament after securing the crucial vote of an independent MP.

Transport Matters MP Rod Barton will vote in favor of the pandemic management bill unless Mr Andrews agrees to have his public health orders reviewed by a parliamentary committee, the herald sun informed of.

To ensure that it is independent of the ruling party, the committee should be chaired by a crossbench or opposition MP.

The bill would give the premier the ability to declare and enforce a pandemic lockdown Restrictions – Powers that so far have been with the Chief Health Officer only.

Transportation Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allen said on Monday that the emergence of the new ultra-contagious Omicron strain justified the need for new powers.

“Talks are ongoing and are likely to continue for the next few days,” Ms Allen said.

‘What we have seen with the emergence of the Omicron strain of virus over the past 24 to 48 hours is that more than ever, we need this modern pandemic framework to keep Victorians safe.’

Mr Andrews has also reportedly agreed to an independent panel review of pandemic anti-epidemic decisions made by the government to secure Mr Barton’s vote.

Over the weekend, the Victorian government announced that all international arrivals in the state would have to isolate for 72 hours, while those visiting one of the nine southern African countries would undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine.

Ms Allen said the government would not have been able to enforce the new rules if it were not for the state of emergency currently in place.

“All of this is going to be a significant framework for some time to come,” she said. ‘Cause the pandemic is not over. We would like it to end but it is not.

Leader of the Opposition Matthew Guy described the Omicron version as the “fourteenth strain of coronavirus in 18 months” and accused the government of “dominated in the politics of fear”.

Victorian Transport Minister Jacinta Allen says talks between the government and crossbench MPs on a controversial bill are continuing in good faith

“The government is constantly talking about state of emergency, pandemic bills, it is a thing of the past, the way we are talking about the future of a covid,” he said.

Mr Guy has vowed to repeal the pandemic law if he is elected in November 2022.

The bill was expected to be passed in parliament last week with the support of three crossbenchers in the upper house, but former Labor minister Adam Somurek announced he would return from a self-imposed absence to vote against it in its current form.

Mr Somurek’s return means the government needs the support of an additional crossbencher to pass legislation before the state of emergency ends.