Dan Andrews is slammed by Australia’s former health minister Greg Hunt over Covid rules

Australia’s former well being minister has slammed state and territory leaders who carried out their very own guidelines throughout Covid outdoors of nationwide cupboard agreements.

Greg Hunt, in a submission to the federal government’s inquiry into the Covid-19 response, has known as for a brand new nationwide code that may require premiers and chief ministers to publish the medical recommendation they’re appearing on when making public well being mandates. 

Mr Hunt urged the states to reaffirm their dedication to private freedoms by agreeing to not make ‘unilateral selections made towards nationwide cupboard selections until there may be signed medical recommendation’. 

The retired politician known as out Victoria’s former premier Dan Andrews specifically for going it alone with robust guidelines because it battled the brunt of Australia’s Covid waves. 

‘Unilateral selections of some states outdoors of the nationwide cupboard framework, akin to Victoria’s curfews or 5km motion restrictions, weren’t the topic of Commonwealth recommendation,’ he stated in his submission, reviews The Australian.

He added that: ‘Nor to the very best of my ­information had the medical recommendation for such restrictions been launched or affirmed at state stage’.

The Labor authorities introduced its inquiry into the response to the Covid-19 pandemic final yr. 

It’s helmed by prime bureaucrat Roby Kruk AO, Deakin College’s Epidemiology chair Professor Catherine Bennett and main well being economist Dr Angela Jackson. 

The inquiry’s report is to be delivered by September 30. 

The inquiry itself was slammed after it was introduced due to its slender phrases of reference

The choices of State and Territory leaders and recommendation of their chief medical officers is just not underneath scrutiny.

Fairly the inquiry will deal with broader public well being points akin to quarantine and vaccine responses, financial impacts and the Morrison authorities’s actions.

It would, nonetheless, take a look at the final effectiveness of the federal government response – together with division of obligations between state and federal governments, how nationwide cupboard functioned and the position of advisory our bodies. 

Mr Hunt stated publication of medical recommendation underpinning coverage was commonplace in his authorities however was not a requirement – with many state leaders forgoing this step.

He’s urging the inquiry to pursue a regulatory framework to standardise how public well being mandates are determined upon. 

A police officer in a masks checks a girl’s identification on Bondi seaside in 2021

Additionally of concern to Mr Hunt is the falling stage of booster vaccinations, significantly in Indigenous communities, and a 164 per cent surge in Covid deaths in aged care services since 2022.  

‘This means the necessity for … help within the type of PPE, an infection management and coaching, workforce help and vaccination help for workers and residents,’ he stated.

Mr Hunt stated the Coalition’s choice to shut the nation’s border with China in early February, greater than a month earlier than it closed to different international locations, was arguably a very powerful peacetime choice that has been made by an Australian authorities. 

Solely a handful of different international locations had already executed so – towards the recommendation of the World Well being Organisation (WHO) who really helpful elevated border screening. 

‘No nation escaped unhurt; nonetheless, only a few international locations emerged with a decrease lack of life and fewer financial injury than Australia,’ he stated.