Victoria's draft pandemic law misses one critical element – stronger oversight of the government's decisions

By William Partlett, Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne

The Victorian government is introducing a pandemic management bill that will structure its ongoing and future response to pandemics.

According to a draft dated October 23, the bill gives the executive wide powers in the time of a pandemic, including detention powers and the possibility of two years in prison for failing to comply with a pandemic order.

But drawing on the practice in other jurisdictions such as…

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