- Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is under increasing pressure to lift Melbourne’s lockdown, with some residents launching a class action
- Three seperate cases have been filed in court seeking to overturn the city’s curfew and also seeking damages for workers
- Additionally, one of the lawsuit alleged the Andrews Government’s mishandling of the hotel quarantine program led to the lockdown
- Melbourne has been stuck in stage three and four lockdowns since July, when hundreds of new cases of COVID-19 cropped up
- At this stage the strict stage-four restrictions, including the curfew, are not set to lift until the end of October
- However, following a meeting between state and territory leaders, the Prime Minister said he was confident state borders would reopen before Christmas
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is under increasing pressure to lift the lockdown restrictions in Melbourne amid a number of class action lawsuits.
At least three seperate cases have been launched – all taking aim at the Andrews Government’s handling of the pandemic and its wider economic impacts.
Legal firm, Carbone Lawyers, filed a claim earlier this week on behalf of workers who had lost income or suffered psychological damage due to the strict lockdown.
The lawsuit claims it was the Government’s own mishandling of the hotel quarantine program which led to a second wave of infections and subsequent restrictions.
“In terms of proven negligence, I think it’s going to be pretty straightforward, I’m just going to rely on their own doctors and epidemiologists,” Managing Partner Tony Carbone told The Guardian.
Another firm, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, launched a similar lawsuit last month representing workers who had lost their jobs due to the enhanced lockdowns.
Finally, cafe owner and Liberal Party Member, Michelle Loielo, also began legal proceedings against the Andrews Government this week, for the effect its COVID-19 policies were having on her business.
“I am genuinely concerned that I am not going to be able to provide for my children if this situation continues. I am afraid that I will lose my house,” she said.
Michelle has also taken aim at the 8pm to 5am curfew imposed by the Premier under the stage-four lockdown, arguing it was both unlawful and invalid.
At this stage, the strict stage four lockdowns and curfew in Melbourne which came into effect on August 2, will remain in place until September 28, after being extended by two weeks.
Slight easings came into place on September 13, such as playgrounds re-opening, but million of Melbournians remain at home, with schools and businesses operating remotely.
The Premier wants an average of between 30 and 50 cases recorded in the two weeks leading up to September 28, before he will ease restrictions further.
However at this stage, both the curfew and restrictions on leaving home won’t lift until the end of October – and only if less than five cases a day are recorded.
The Prime Minister himself has been highly critical of Premier Andrew’s handling of COVID-19 and his roadmap on easing restrictions, labelling the lockdows as “hard and crushing”.
Scott Morrison has also placed pressure on the Victorian Government to begin easing restrictions, amid a week of relatively low COVID-19 numbers.
“We are hopeful that the road map that has been outlined by the Victorian Premier continues to be achieved, and we hope it continues to be accelerated in response to the case numbers that we’re seeing there,” he said.
Significantly, the PM also said today that he was confident most state borders would re-open before Christmas, following a meeting between federal, state and territory leaders.
The leaders met this morning to discuss the expansion of Australia’s international arrivals cap, which will let more residents return home from next Friday.