Daniel Andrews dismisses human rights complaint over Melbourne Covid-19 curfew

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Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews says Melbourne’s curfew is working and won’t be changing. As part of stage four restrictions, there is a curfew in Melbourne from 8pm to 5am, with residents required to be at home during these hours. The only reason they can leave home is for work, medical care or caregiving. The curfew has been at the centre of debate this week, with conflicting reports on whether it was imposed because of medical reasons or from prompts from police.

But speaking on Friday, Mr Andrews said he was accountable for the curfew and it wouldn’t be changing. Let me be really clear with you, the curfew position at the moment will not be changing. Because it is working. It is working. And if you don’t limit movement, you won’t limit the number of cases. And what everyone wants to get up and stay open simply won’t happen. Traffic data showed the curfew was working. What I can say is there is an immediate and pronounced and sustained drop in road use in all metropolitan local government areas between the hours of 7pm and midnight. (And) again, between midnight and 6am. What it shows you is quite a massive drop in the amount of movement that we have seen right across Melbourne while ever the curfew has been on. What’s clear, if you can limit movement, you will limit the spread of this virus.