Campaign to reopen Victoria ramps up after the state recorded just six new coronavirus cases and NO deaths - as a former staffer who quit Daniel Andrews' government lifts the lid on the 'police state' lockdown
Calls to reopen Victoria have been bolstered after the state recorded just six new coronavirus cases and no deaths, while a former economist for the Victorian Treasury lifts the lid on what he deemed a 'police state'.
The critical rolling 14-day infection average has once again dropped in metropolitan Melbourne to 8.9 and remains at 0.6 in regional Victoria.
Pressure to end the strict lockdown is mounting as residents say it is destroying businesses and having a detrimental impact on mental health.
But health authorities say the 14-day average must be around five for Premier Daniel Andrews to consider a widespread easing restrictions on October 19.
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The critical rolling 14-day average has once again dropped in metropolitan Melbourne to 8.9 and remains at 0.6 in regional Victoria (pictured, people walking in Albert Park Lake)
Thursday's low case numbers come after seven new cases and five deaths were recorded on Wednesday - the most deaths the state recorded in a single day since September 29.
Sanjeev Sabhlok resigned from the Victorian Treasury in September after rallying against Melbourne's strict COVID-19 lockdowns and politicians online.
Mr Sabhlok, who moved to Melbourne from India in 2001, took to Twitter to announce his resignation with a stern warning to Mr Andrews.
'I did not come to Australia to be a slave of whimsical government. You have not implemented risk-based management, no evidence-based policy, no cost-benefit analysis,' he wrote.
'No justification. Just whimsy. You must reset Victoria's policies right now. But if you won't, then go!'
Mr Sabhlok has now slammed the 'police state' tactics Mr Andrews has taken in an explosive interview with Channel Nine's A Current Affair.
Sanjeev Sabhlok resigned from the Victorian Treasury in September after rallying against Melbourne 's strict COVID-19 lockdowns and politicians online
Mr Sabhlok, who moved to Melbourne from India in 2001, took to Twitter to announce his resignation with a stern warning to Mr Andrews
'I started calling this a police state. I think that's when the Treasury might have said, "Hey, this guy's now starting to say something bold. Let's ask him to pull down all his posts".'
Mr Sabhlok has tweeted regularly to his 3,000 followers throughout the pandemic in disagreement with Melbourne's strict lockdowns.
Despite giving his entire life to the public sector the senior economist said showing up to work became unbearable.
'I resigned on the spot. I said, "I want to go. I need to go and speak about this issue publicly. I need to let people know you are doing the wrong thing",' he said.
'The whole thing is so arbitrary. I've been against it from day one - let me say that. And I've raised the matter repeatedly within my department and I've been brushed aside.'
The campaign to reopen Victoria is ramping up as the state recorded just six new coronavirus cases and no deaths, while a former economist for the Victorian Treasury lifts the lid on the 'police state' lockdown. Pictured: Man in a face mask walking through the CBD
Mr Sabhlok said Premier Daniel Andrews was 'whimsy' and warned him to resign
Since leaving his job with the Victoria Treasury Mr Sabhlok has used his free time to write a book called The Great Hysteria and The Broken State.
There are fears of more outbreaks in regional Victoria after a single Melbourne resident was responsible for sparking two worrying regional clusters.
Authorities fear the new outbreaks could ruin Victoria's extensive progress after months of lockdown as the truck driver did not tell authorities he had been to Shepparton.
The man, who was infected in the Chadstone Shopping Centre outbreak, visited Kilmore and Shepparton while infectious on September 30.
The truckie, who had a worker's permit, had admitted to illegally dining at a Kilmore cafe but only told contact tracers he stopped in Shepparton after three people tested positive earlier this week.
The positive case was a contact of a member of the Chadstone cluster and said he did not know he was infected when he obtained his worker permit to travel regionally. Pictured: Residents being checked at a Melbourne checkpoint
Health authorities have urged all 51,600 residents from the northern Victorian town of Shepparton to get tested after three locals became infected with COVID-19
Premier Daniel Andrews said the health department's compliance unit was examining the issue and could refer him to police.
Everyone in Shepparton has been asked to get tested for the virus.
Meanwhile, police are investigating after Mr Andrews' electorate office was vandalised for the second time in less than a month.
His Noble Park office was cordoned off after 'Sack Dan' was spray painted on the office and one of the windows cracked, apparently by a thrown brick.
A staff member who worked a night shift on October 7 at a Woolworths store in Melbourne's CBD was among the seven new case reported on Wednesday.
The QV supermarket, on the corner of Lonsdale and Swanston Streets, is not listed as a high-risk location because the case can be effectively contact traced.
MELBOURNE'S ROADMAP OUT OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWN - WHAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO AND WHEN:
Step one: Came into effect on September 14
Step two: Came into effect on September 28
Step three: When there is a daily statewide average of five new cases over the past 14 days. The original aim was for October 26, brought forward to October 19 after the 14-day average of new cases fell below initial expectations, but again put on hold after new case numbers plateaued.
This has now been revamped to be a series of 'mini-steps' and more gradual easings as the numbers proved difficult to shift.
Step four: The move to step four will come when there have been no new COVID-19 cases in the past 14 days. The aim is for this to come into place on November 23
COVID Normal: After 28 days of no new COVID-19 cases, things will return to normal.
FREEDOMS YOU GET AT EACH STEP OF EASING
Step one - came into effect September 14
- Curfew has been eased to 9pm-5am
- People can still only leave home for the four reasons (shopping, exercise, work and care or medical attention)
- Public gatherings increased to two people, or a household, for a maximum of two hours
- Singles can have one nominated person to their home as part of the 'singles social bubble'
- Childcare and early educators to remain closed
- Schools will continue to learn remotely unless they have exemptions
- Adult education to continue to be done remotely, unless they have exemption
- Only go to work if you are in a permitted industry
- Cafes and restaurants will continue with take away only
- Retail businesses will remain open for essential shopping, with others only operating with click and collect
- Only one person per household can do the essential shopping
Step two - came into effect September 28
- Melbourne's curfew lifted
- Public gatherings increase again to five people from a maximum of two households
- Childcare and early educators can re-open
- Schools to continue with remote learning, but Prep to Grade Two and Year 11 and Year 12 students will gradually return to class in Term 4
- There will be an increase to permitted workplaces
Step three - originally expected October 26, brought forward to October 19
- There are no restrictions on leaving home
- Public gatherings increase to 10 people together outdoors
- A 'household bubble' will be introduced, so five people from one house can visit another
- Remote learning to continue, but Grades 3 to Year 11 can gradually return to class
- Adult education to continue to be done remotely, but hands on classes will see a phased return to onsite
- Work from home is encouraged
- Up to 10 people can eat together at restaurants and cafes, with the majority of tables outdoor
- Retail shops to reopen, with hairdresses operating under safety measures but beauty stores to remain closed
- Real estate agents can conduct private inspections by appointment
- The one person per household limit on shopping is to be revoked
Step four - expected in November, dependent on new case numbers:
- Public gatherings to increase to 50 people outdoors
- Up to 20 visitors can attend a home at any one time
- All adult education will return to onsite with safety measures in place
- Groups limited to 20 indoors and a maximum of 50 patrons per venue
- All retail stores to reopen, while real estate agents can operate with safety measures and by keeping a record of attendants
Step five - COVID normal:
- Public gatherings have no restriction
- There will also be no restriction on visitors to homes
- Phased return to onsite work for work from home workers
- Schools to reopen as normal
- Restrictions on hospitality removed, but venues to continue keeping records