Thread by @Voice4Victoria

@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?

David Davis - yeah, wow. Comparing this to mandating a smallpox vaccine over 100 years ago as an example that we've 'mandated them before'.

David Davis puts forward an amendment that would allow a return to the chamber (in some capacity) in order to vote.

Limbrick up. Brings up Human Rights. Asks if VIC is on a mission to violate all of them 🙃.
Now listing off the rights in our VIC charter, which is meant to actually have legal standing, but is currently worth about as much as toilet paper.

Oh boy, he's onto the Liberal party.

Limbrick points out the f**king obvious, that even if this motion passes a Parl sitting is still capable of being a superspreader event given vx doesn't stop transmission.

"Its clear neither major party actually cares about human rights". Spicy.

Maxwell is up. Starts with the fact that she & Grimley are both voluntarily vxd. Quite the speech so far, showing she's clearly one of the MPs who actually speaks to (and listens to) her constituents.

Points out no other Parl in the world has mandated vx status in order to allow them to do their roles in democracy, which creates concerning precedent. Also that the % in Parl exceeds that of the community, so this seems totally unnecessary.
They support RAT amendments.

Bernie says he is fully vxd but calls for tolerance. Cites concerns about community ripping itself apart over this. He believes the mandates in general are inappropriate.

Finn says it is inappropriate to see a motion like this that would prevent MPs doing their role on the basis of their personal health choices.

Omfg. He just said the Premier is turning the sacrosanct doctor/patient relationships into a threesome by inserting himself into them. That's some peak Bernie commentary right there 😂
Also points out there is once again zero health advice provided.

Finn "there's only one way to treat a bully, that's never to give them what they want. I will not be bullied. You can't rationalise this."

Omg is Bernie going rogue on the Liberals...

"To deny Victorian's representation in the Parliament is wrong". This really is quite the speech.

Yep. Bernie broke rank. Refuses to support the motion.

Catherine is up. She's one of the few MPs with a medical background. She says she wishes the govt treated people like adults. She states she is pro-choice. Is concerned that this private medical info becomes permanent public record, which isn't a good precedent.

Tables her amendments, which are based off NSW rules and allows for people to demonstrate negative tests and come into Parl to vote.

Chamber is now on a dinner break.

Debate resuming in 5mins, watch live here:
parliament.vic.gov.au/video-and-audi…

Commentary to come later on this half.

Straight to the point: it passed.
The 4x votes against were Tim Quilty & David Limbrick (obviously), Catherine Cumming & Bernie Finn.

Was listening live but couldn't tweet, going to do some summaries of the points made by certain MPs for the sake of transparency & the fact it was refreshing at least some others in that place, even some Libs, recognise what a terrible precedent they've set.

After dinner was taximan Barton. Done good things for his industry, typically neutral-ish with a pinch of govt. Made the point this was getting debated on a day of record cases. Went the "put health first/ everyone else is having to, so we can too" line.

Next was Rich-Phillips(RP)(Lib). Probably one of the best speeches. Accused the govt of using Parl as a plaything, given they shut it down for 12 cases now they're sitting with 2k+ because now they need something, & that the Upper has somewhat failed in getting a check & balance.

He pointed out Symes' language with the motion used the term penalty. Have attached this snippet of the speech. This perfectly sums up that the govts attitude has quite literally nothing to do with health, in fact they barely mention it at all. Calls the motion a stunt - it is.

Symes takes issue & mentions Jennings getting kicked out before. RP response was great. Jennings was booted for failure to comply with parl not this bs. Points out how well respected Jennings was by all & how poor the ALP is now, clearly getting driven by the lower house. Savage.

Next up was Bourman. Personally a quiet fav for his blunt pragmatism in most of his speeches, can usually be relied on for refreshing common sense. Easily had the best quote of the night on Aussie behaviour & slammed the mandates as unnecessary & said he wouldn't support them.

Bev McArthur next. Stayed on the Lib side but offered verbal support to dissenting colleagues & pointed out in detail just how sloppy & lazy the govts rules have been, especially in what they've done to businesses & traders like farmers.

Bev brought up that CFA volunteers are being rejected due to vx as a captain contacted her. Symes claims this isn't true. This has been mentioned on Twitter & seems Symes may not actually be aware this is happening, even though it's now her portfolio. Like Bev said - sloppy.

Hayes next, comes out with some quiet common sense. Points out the obvious that given this offers no herd immunity in general mandates make no sense, it's clearly not protection & the govt seem uninterested in testing. Raises serious concerns about the precedent being set.

Atkinson (Lib) next. Raises concerns & mirrors Bev's speech a lot, as well as concerns that the mandate has little to do with actual health "it doesn't guarantee a safer workplace" & the fact the CHO is both unelected & unaccountable for what he is doing to millions of lives.

Quilty came out snapping 🔥. Used the toilet paper line about human rights & was scathing of how much the govt has escalated its authoritarian tactics over time. Attacked both ALP & Libs on lack of morals & values. It was really something - see snippets.

One that isn't in Hansard yet but I wish was was Fifi. Lost her sh*t having a go at Limbrick "whatever did we do before he arrived here". Said she was shocked this motion was 'such a big deal' & how much she couldn't wait to use her vx passport to get into pubs & shops next week.

In the end it passed. One concerning theme that's emerging is MPs being unable to balance the idea that yes they are members of the community & equal, but also they absolutely are not & hold power & responsibility 100 fold to others & some really need to take that more seriously.

Final note that the motion is worded in a way that means if an MP does table their info, they're immediately allowed back into Parl.
Last checked the govt are also down a vote in the Upper with Gepp taking (necessary) medical leave as of last week for quite a few weeks.