Damning email exposes truth about Melbourne Covid restriction

The document between two senior officials reveals a nightly curfew introduced in mid-2020, banning people from leaving their homes after dark, was proposed without any formal input from health authorities.

It wasn’t until hours after Mr Andrews announced the curfew that Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton and his deputy Finn Romanes discussed it.

David Davis, Liberal leader in the Legislative Council, obtained the email exchange under a Freedom of Information request, which he said the government had fought hard against.

“The detailed exchange was very late in the day, just over two hours before the curfew was due to come into effect at 8pm, [and] shows it was not conceived by health officials,” Mr Davis said.

“It was not based on ‘health advice’ but was announced by Andrews peremptorily.

“In the exchange Romanes seeks approval from Sutton to sign the curfew order. But it is clear there is little detailed ‘health’ material behind the decision.”

Mr Davis said the contents of the exchange show why “Labor used every legal tr...
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