Lockdown of Victoria's public housing towers during COVID crisis breached human rights, ombudsman finds - ABC News

The Victorian Ombudsman has found the State Government breached human rights laws when it locked down nine public housing towers in inner Melbourne after a coronavirus outbreak in early July.

Key points:

• The report found public health officials thought the towers would be locked down the following day, not immediately
  
• Deborah Glass said the decision breached the human rights of residents and they were entitled to an apology
• She said the decision was made at a Crisis Council of Cabinet meeting earlier that day

A report by the state's ombudsman, Deborah Glass, tabled in State Parliament this morning, said health officials had agreed to the need for a lockdown on July 4, and they expected it would start the following day which would give them time for planning food supplies and other logistics.

However the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, announced the lockdown of the towers in North Melbourne and Flemington would commence that day at 4:00pm.

The acting chief health officer had only 15 minutes before the press conference to consider the issues and sign the directions for the lockdown, Ms Glass said.

The investigation found the temporary lockdown, which was lifted at eight of the nine towers within five days, was warranted.

Residents had no warning about the lockdown and the report said their human rights had been violated.(AAP: Daniel Pockett)

But the timing of that lockdown was not based on direct public health advice.

"In my opinion… the action appeared to be contrary to the law," Ms Glass said.

"The rushed lockdown was not compatible with the residents' human rights, including their right to humane treatment when deprived of liberty."

The ombudsman traced the decision on the immediate lockdown to a Crisis Council of Cabinet meeting at 1.45pm that afternoon but was denied access to documents about that meeting which are the subject of privilege.

Ms Glass recommended the Government apologise to tower residents for the way they were treated.

"Many residents knew nothing of the lockdown or the reason for it when large numbers of police appeared on their estate that afternoon," she said.

"Some people were without food and medicines.

"At the tower at 33 Alfred Street… residents waited more than a week to be allowed outside under supervision to get fresh air."

The towers were locked down to halt what was considered to be a potentially dangerous outbreak of coronavirus among residents.(AAP: Daniel Pockett)

Ms Glass said in the months since, no lockdown has been put in place without warning.

"In a just society, human rights are not a convention to be ignored during a crisis," she said.

Ms Glass said the Victorian Government did not agree with her conclusions.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTEyLTE3L2xvY2tkb3duLXB1YmxpYy1ob3VzaW5nLXRvd2Vycy1icmVhY2hlZC1odW1hbi1yaWdodHMtb21idWRzbWFuLzEyOTkxMTYy0gEnaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEyOTkxMTYy?oc=5

2020-12-16 22:09:00Z
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