Covid Victoria: Probe into handling of pandemic won’t be reopened

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A push to reopen a probe into the Andrews government’s handling of the pandemic has been narrowly defeated for this surprising reason.

A push to reopen a probe into the government’s handling of the pandemic has been narrowly defeated because three crossbench MPs are banned from voting.

Liberal Democrats MP David Limbrick on Wednesday put a up motion to hold a parliamentary inquiry into how Covid has been managed in Victoria.

It was shot down because the vote ended in a 16-all deadlock.

The Opposition and most crossbench MPs voted in favour of the inquiry and Labor voted against the motion with the support of Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick.

But it would have been passed if more crossbenchers had been in the chamber.

Mr Limbrick is currently banned from attending parliament along with fellow Liberal Democrat Tim Quilty and independent Catherine Cumming.

All three have refused to hand over medical information as required under current vaccination rules.

Mr Limbrick said a “reasonable compromise” would have been to allow the MPs to attend after receiving negative rapid antigen tests.

“I wouldn’t even ask the taxpayer to fund it,” he said.

“You can register your position on legislation but (if you aren’t there) the vote can’t actually count. You have to physically be there.”

Mr Limbrick said most of the crossbench had voted in favour of reopening the parliamentary inquiry, which was last held at the start of 2021.

“A lot has happened since February and now, including police responses to protests and vaccination mandates,” he said.

“I thought those things were worthy of scrutiny.

“It is disappointing. If it is not going to happen through this motion maybe the Parliamentary Estimates and Accounts Committee will reopen the inquiry instead.”

It comes as the approval rating of the state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak has hit its lowest level since March.

The latest Essential Research polling, conducted last week, shows the government’s handling of the pandemic has for the third consecutive time been voted the worst of the state governments, with a 43 per cent approval rating – 20 per cent lower than its May peak.

Daniel Andrews’ approval rating also dipped, falling to 52 per cent.

While 20 per cent of Victorians strongly approved of the job he was doing as Premier, 24 per cent strongly disapproved.

Only NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, at 47 per cent, had a lower approval rating.

THIRD SHOT APPROVED

Pfizer booster shots have been approved for Australians over 18 to take – at least six months after their second dose of any Covid-19 vaccine.

Aged care and disability residents in Victoria will be among the first to roll up their sleeves under a state government push to protect its most vulnerable from the ongoing outbreak.

The general population booster program still needs the final tick from Australia’s expert immunisation panel but, once given, will begin by November 8.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday questioned if the announcement would affect people’s vaccination status, saying that “to be fully vaccinated, you may need your booster”.

But Health Minister Greg Hunt said experts “have been at pains to point out” that boosters were about additional protection and people remained fully vaccinated with two vaccines.

This means Australians will not need a booster shot to be recognised as vaccinated when travelling overseas.

“It’s a universal booster and so it’s available for people who’ve had Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna,” Mr Hunt said.

“We have the supplies and we have the distribution mechanisms. We’ll just work with the states, the GPs, the pharmacies, the commonwealth vaccination clinics and the Indigenous vaccination clinics to ensure everything’s in place.

“We will commence aged care and disability as a priority.”

Mr Hunt said Victoria was looking to start the booster rollout “immediately” for people who had their shot at least six months ago.

Mr Andrews said the state was awaiting details of the program but was “happy to play our part”.

Pharmacies that currently administer AstraZeneca and Moderna shots will also be given access to Pfizer.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s deputy secretary, Professor John Skerritt, confirmed the boosters were safe for pregnant women and people who did not initially receive a Pfizer vaccine.

As revealed by the Herald Sun on Tuesday, about 1.6 million people will be eligible for a booster by the end of the year.

Opposition health spokesman Mark Butler demanded the government reveal its plan to roll out the shots, particularly among health workers.

“People simply can’t afford for Scott Morrison to bungle boosters in the way he bungled the broader vaccine rollout,” Mr Butler said.

Virological expert Professor Damian Purcell said booster shots increased immunity to higher levels than second doses, had “much better protection” against the new variants such as Delta, and reduced transmission.

Moderna is yet to submit an application for its mRNA vaccine to be used as a booster shot, while Novavax will provide its data in the next fortnight.



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