The Victorian Ombudsman has launched an investigation into COVID-19 related interstate travel permits, exceptions and exemptions as complaints continue to stream into her Office.
The Ombudsman, Deborah Glass said the Office had received more than 80 complaints from people wishing to enter Victoria since the State’s Chief Health Officer declared New South Wales an ‘extreme risk zone’ on 9 July. Many were residents.
Ms Glass said that while individual cases had been raised with the Department of Health and several had been resolved, the continuing number of complaints her Office was receiving raised “potentially systemic issues about Departmental decision-making”.
“The situation is increasingly urgent with the extended lockdown,” Ms Glass said.
“Some people are telling my Office they face effective homelessness, stuck interstate with nowhere else to go,” she said.
“Cases that have come into my Office have raised concerns about the exercise of discretion under the relevant public health directions.”
Ms Glass said she expected her investigation to be completed by the end of the year to help the Department identify if urgent improvements were needed in processes and decision making.
The Ombudsman acknowledged how hard public health officials were working to keep Victorians safe during the public health emergency.
“Decisions about border permits will invariably involve a balance of individual rights with those of the broader community,” she said.
“But it will be important to ensure that balance has been fairly assessed.”
Ms Glass said her investigation would examine the Department’s exercise of discretion involving decisions on interstate travel permits, exceptions and exemptions and relevant human rights considerations.
She said her investigation would also consider specific matters raised with her Office, such as children wanting to return home after their school in NSW closed; a woman wanting to return home after being permitted to leave to attend a funeral in NSW; a student wanting to return home for his health and wellbeing; and a woman wanting to return to her farm to care for her animals.
