Labor’s flip-flopping on QR codes highlights the fact that they have no plan to recover and rebuild.
On Saturday, Treasurer Tim Pallas said that QR codes would be maintained and even ramped up again as cases decline; yet yesterday Premier Daniel Andrews flagged an imminent announcement to scale their use back.
Either Mr Andrews and Mr Pallas aren’t talking to each other, or Labor is just making it up as they go – take your pick.
More than two weeks ago, the Victorian Liberals and Nationals called for the lifting of QR check-in requirements across low-risk settings.
Despite these common-sense calls, the Andrews Government has continued to spin justifications for the continued used of QR codes even after admitting collected data was not being used for contact tracing and National Cabinet’s agreement to manage Covid like influenza or any other infectious disease.
As a consequence, for weeks, Victorians have been providing data to a system not being used and small businesses have faced fines of more than $10,000 if patrons fail to check-in.
With other jurisdictions including Queensland, South Australia and the ACT lifting and scaling back QR code requirements, Daniel Andrews must finally act so our state can move forward in confidence.
Victoria will never recover and rebuild whilst 2020 and 2021 style rules continue to be imposed where there is simply no benefit.
Instead of more flip-flopping and stubbornly maintaining rules that only hold us back, the Andrews Government must apply common-sense and support communities to recover and rebuild.
As stated by Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, David Southwick:
“The Andrews Government isn’t interested in backing communities to recover and rebuild – only in control, spin and the politics of Covid.
“Other states have moved to a common sense position on QR codes and other measures, why is Victoria always so far behind?
“A Matthew Guy Liberals and Nationals Government would remove not just QR code check-ins, but also mask mandates in low risk settings and density limits so we can recover and rebuild in confidence.”
