The Andrews Labor Government has no choice – it either locks down Melbourne’s hotspots and deals with the crisis of climbing COVID-19 case numbers – or it condemns the whole state to potential disaster according to The Nationals leader Peter Walsh.
He said Premier Daniel Andrews has already failed northern Victoria on a massive scale by not introducing two regions in the state, so the COVID-19 free north could get back to work.
“Now his determination to maintain the one state has placed us on the equivalent of summer’s catastrophic alert because if Mr Andrews lets people from Melbourne’s hotspots spread out across the state for school holidays that is likely the result we will get,” Mr Walsh said.
“Mr Andrews has chosen to be the messiah for weeks, ignoring the much more successful programs in every other state of the country, because he said he was the man to save the day,” he said.
“Right now I believe Mr Andrews is far busier trying to save himself from the wreck he has created.”
Mr Walsh said towns the length of the Murray were popular tourist spots for holidays and so many Melbourne people have holiday homes or regular bookings there.
He said while their spending was a vital cash injection into the local economy; that money was not needed at the risk of everyone’s health.
“What is unfolding before us is a tragedy, and our thoughts are with every family affected by this disease,” Mr Walsh added.
“But our thoughts are also with every family, and business, right across northern Victoria,” he said.
“We are basically COVID-19 free because everyone in our regions treated this seriously from the start and did not allow the infection to get even a toehold – now we face a potential tsunami if the Andrews Labor Government doesn’t act now to stop movement within the state.
“We know people have already arrived, they are going into local shops, into clubs and pubs and if they are from any of the hotspots, or neighbouring suburbs, it must stop.
“And stop now.
“But once again we are appealing to the Andrews Labor Government to take the shackles off northern Victoria and let us get back to work before any further damage is done to the local economies.”