Vax mandate motion for MPs getting debated in Parl today. Kicking off in the Lower House (Assembly) this morning & it will be in the Upper House (Council) later this afternoon.
Anyone can watch live here: parliament.vic.gov.au/video-and-audi…
Staley points out that according to National Plan that VIC signed up to, that there should be no restrictions in the population after 80%, including between vxd & unvxd. Hm. Might be the first mention of this specific stance from the Vic Libs.
Well, the Liberals are officially backing the motion. Their revamped justification is that if some people in the community are forced to do this, so should they, but also that they don't support the widespread mandate. Wishy washy.
There's clearly logical differences between a nurse getting mandated & an elected member of Parl. It's meant to be about only protecting health - not performative. So you've got govt making performative rules (if they cared it would be RAT) & the Libs giving performative support.
NEIL ANGUS IS UP 👀
He's the outlier Lib in this.
Neil is the only recorded vote against the motion. It is past the Lower House and will face the Upper this afternoon.
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@JaclynSymes "this motion is relatively uncontroversial".
Ah yes, love hearing the current AG say that an unprecedented motion to ban elected MPs from Parliament on the basis of a medical status that in no way prevents a breakout in Parliament is 'uncontroversial'.
Funny watching the govt trot out the same inane Lib line of "well other people are being made to do it so we should to", which utterly contradicts the idea that mandates should only be used on 'health advice' for high risk/ direct contact settings, not arbitrary control settings.
Symes claiming it's about protecting workers.. with zero requirements for actual testing & Weimar confirming today that close to 40% of all cases in the state currently are fully vaccinated (unsure if this full only or includes partial). All about health & science, right?
We're back for day 3 of IBAC.
Expecting that if cross examination was approved (🤞) Schreiber is back first up for questions from Somyurek's counsel, then we have another ex-staffer who's been repeatedly named already, Adam Sullivan. Watch live here: ibac.vic.gov.au/investigating-…
Based on Somyurek's tweets, the cross examination of Schreiber at this time has been denied. We're straight into Adam today.
Currently running through/ establishing Adam's background in politics and how he ended up as an electoral officer in Byrne's office.
1. Incredible content. IBAC coming across exceedingly well prepared.
2. Attempts to pretend this is just in some micro-'moderate' faction of the party is a joke. It's clearly not limited to that & should be addressed, even if it's not equal among them.
3. The idea that Bill Shorten, who's been repeatedly brought up, could know about any this & Dan didn't is illogical.
A standard legal take is that knowing about something happening & not doing anything to stop it is equivalent to participating.
As a minimum, it should get asked if Dan knew & why he didn't report it.
4. For all that Adem is quick on the tweets to correct the records being presented it'll be interesting to see what he volunteers/confirms when it's his turn. That'll be a day for drinks to go with the 🍿
IBAC/Operation Watts' 5 weeks of hearings kick off at 10am today, anyone can watch live here. ibac.vic.gov.au/investigating-…
We're still playing the waiting game.
IBAC Commissioner to Byrne "you must answer Qs truthfully or risk perjury charges which can result in 15 years imprisonment. Those answers, if true, can't be used against you in a court. Unless you are found to lie, then you can be brought up on perjury charges".
@_davidlimbrick in his motion speech requesting the docs behind the vax mandate, particularly how the decision stacked up against our human rights charter.
Shing once again getting thrown in as the govts mouthpiece. Talks about how it isn't about what he asked for, but how he asked. Accuses him of trying to "mount a case against" the public health advice
Shing talks about their response needing to be "dexterous and nimble". Yes because a smashed widespread mandate just reeks of a "dexterous and nimble" approach.