Gunner Govt's emergency powers during health crisis need to be checked: CLP | NT Independent

Gunner Govt’s emergency powers during health crisis need to be checked: CLP

by | Feb 10, 2022 | News | 0 comments

The Opposition CLP will put forward legislation next week that would compel the Chief Health Officer to report to the public about the ongoing state of the public health emergency on a regular basis, in a bid for greater transparency in decision-making amid rolling extensions of government emergency powers.

The amendments to the Public and Environmental Health Act would also force the CHO to reveal what specific COVID-19 health advice is being provided to the Gunner Government.

“It no longer makes sense to have a reporting period after a state of emergency that has already lasted almost two years, and could potentially be extended beyond 2022,” said CLP Health critic Bill Yan.

“There has to be accountability of the government and it is not acceptable that with Labor continuously extending the emergency period – Territorians have never seen a single report by the CHO.

“Our Bill will ensure that the latest official health advice is made available to all members of Parliament, businesses, organisations and the public every three months – at a minimum – during the state of emergency, instead of after the emergency declaration has ceased.

“This will provide a more efficient, real-time reporting model. Providing a report to Parliament is already required under the Act. These amendments will ensure more frequent reporting so that critical advice and decision-making is available to Territorians.”

Under the current Act, the Chief Health Officer is only obligated to provide a report to Parliament within three months of the end of the emergency health declaration.

The CLP said their amendments to the Act would compel a public health report from the CHO every three months while the emergency measures remain in place.

The Gunner Government, in keeping with other state and territory governments, extended its ability to declare a state of emergency from five days to 90 days in March 2020 and has been extending that state of emergency every three months for the last two years.

Mr Yan said greater scrutiny of the government’s decisions is needed after it has bungled serious health matters throughout the pandemic, including the slow rollout of vaccinations in remote communities, the closure of remote clinics, four “code yellows” at the Royal Darwin Hospital resulting in cancelled surgeries, failure to disclose “key data, including vaccine rates”, constant rule changes that become the responsibility of Territory business to enforce and “a Chief Minister whose hysterical rants are unhelpful and divisive”.

The CLP’s amendments would have to be approved by the majority of the House, which Labor controls. Parliament resumes sitting next week.

“Territorians deserve openness, transparency and a Government that won’t hide from scrutiny – and that is why this legislation is so important. If Labor have nothing to hide, they will support this very straightforward Bill,” Mr Yan said.

“This ensures transparency in decision-making following a period where government has been given greater power than normal. This is a normal process of checks and balances.”

Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s Office did not respond to requests for comment.

 

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