Tuesday, 8 March 2022

COVID-19 vaccination

Mr QUILTY (Northern Victoria) (19:56): (1794) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Local Government. Minister, since the segregation of Victorians by vaccination status, many of my constituents in Northern Victoria have found themselves barred from entering facilities provided by local councils—indeed, people have all over the state. They are barred because they do not have the right papers and barred because they made a medical choice that does not line up with this government’s mandates. The local swimming pool became out of bounds. There was no cooling off on a hot day with the kids when temperatures soared and tempers frayed, no quiet times in the local library, no quiet space to study, no right to attend storytelling sessions for the little ones or a community group get-together for the elderly, no attendance at council meetings, no going to council offices to conduct your business and no entry to the pound or to child care.

During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic so many things were taken away from all Victorians. Over and over regional Victoria took a hit when we were lumped with metropolitan Melbourne and their lockdowns. So many times those on the border were disadvantaged by border closures when there was not a case within cooee of our regional towns. ‘Papers, please’ became a daily occurrence to cross the border for daily life. Now that the borders are open we are being asked for another set of papers—proof of vaccination—before entry will be granted to council owned and run facilities. These are facilities and services that are provided for and paid for by all ratepayers—not just the vaccinated. The action I seek is for unvaccinated ratepayers to receive a refund on their council rates, as they are being excluded from using local council assets—council assets that they pay for.