The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, has called on the state Labor Government to release the data and modelling underpinning its latest erratic restrictions in regional Victoria.
Mr Walsh said given there had been no cases and just a few exposure sites in regional Victoria for months, regional communities should return to COVID normal.
He said he still cannot believe the latest version of Labor’s restrictions; “which allow 50 people to visit a brothel but only 20 to gather for a child’s birthday party in an outdoor park”.
“Meanwhile, the heavy restrictions on community sport limiting spectators at open air football and netball games will leave many of our country clubs struggling to pay their bills,” Mr Walsh added.
“If they play at all,” he said.
“Despite this, Labor’s Sports Minister has told the media he has ‘absolute confidence’ the AFL Grand Final will be played at the MCG.
“These inconsistencies are bizarre, particularly when regional Victoria has not had a single case in this outbreak.”
Mr Walsh also queried what has happened to the government’s roadmap, which was developed last year to provide the community with certainty on when restrictions would be applied.
“The government now says restrictions are a ‘day-by-day proposition’. What has changed?” he said.
“It makes no sense, and the government’s flip-flopping is undermining public confidence.”
Mr Walsh said similar inconsistencies arose last week when dance studios were forced to close but creative arts studios were allowed to remain open.
It’s not unreasonable to raise questions about the government’s decision-making when Labor has flatly refused to release the data and modelling that it says underpin the restrictions,” he said.
“When businesses across our region have suffered immeasurably and the mental health of Victorians – particularly children – has been put on the line, the government needs to be more transparent about the basis for its decisions.”
