MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper does not support a 12-month extension of the State of Emergency provisions as outlined by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday.

The Victorian Government will ask Parliament to extend the State of Emergency for 12 months beyond September 13, when the current legislation runs out.

Ms Cupper said three-monthly extensions were more appropriate.

“The State of Emergency laws give the Government a lot of power to enact onerous regulations like stay-at-home orders, mask wearing and customer limits in restaurants, cafes or pubs,” she said.

“Clearly these regulations – as well as lockdowns – have been necessary during the pandemic and especially during the current second wave.

“But 12 months is just too long for these provisions to be extended.

“A three-month extension followed by a review from Parliament is the most appropriate measure. If the State of Emergency needs to be extended further, it can be done at that stage.”

Ms Cupper said rules always needed to be proportionate and giving the Government the power to enact State of Emergency regulations for a further 12 months was an over-reach.

“We need to be mindful of community acceptance of any regulations, which people in the Mildura electorate and Victoria as a whole have shown brilliantly throughout the pandemic,” she said.

“A 12-month extension of the State of Emergency provisions will be hard to sell to a community which has already sacrificed so much over the past few months.”