24th August 2021
The recent violent demonstration about Covid restrictions saw much vitriol aimed at police. This was entirely misplaced. The Government ought to have been the target of community frustration and anger, not the police. Police are not an instrument of Government but an instrument of the people. It is the people of Victoria who have elected this Government. It is Parliament that makes the laws. The police role is to enforce those laws made by Parliament, “Without fear or favour, malice or ill will.” This police do to the best of their ability. No one claims they always get it right.
If the general populace is so dissatisfied with their Government that they want change their remedy is at the ballot box. The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) has vehemently argued that there needs to be a process to force a poorly performing Government to call an election. We have a petition circulating calling for a recall petition process to be legislated. Signing that petition may assist in this process being adopted. https://www.change.org/p/petition-to-the-legislative-council-of-victoria-give-democracy-back-to-the-people-with-recall-elections?
In the meantime, the CAA advocates that every legal means available should be utilised to make the Government accountable for the myriad of poor decisions they are making that are so frustrating to most of us.
While the temporary lockdown of some geographic areas may be required, we have seen the lockdown of rural areas that have never had a case of a Covid infection within more than one hundred kilometres. This is nonsensical and has put many small businesses either out of business or teetering on the brink.
In the larger centres of the State, hundreds of small businesses have failed or will fail if lockdowns continue. Unnecessary, draconian restrictions cause frustration, anger and a loss of respect for the Government, and, importantly, for police required to enforce these restrictions. It will take many years for the Victoria Police to regain the respect it deserves and that has been lost due to no fault of its own.
The economic damage being caused by continual lockdowns will take generations to undo. With rising numbers of those vaccinated it is time to remove many of the restrictions that are said to be based on scientific/medical advice that we, who are most affected, are never permitted to see or question.
Too many people are now suffering Mental health issues and the number of suicides is disturbing.
Closing playgrounds, golf courses and banning take-away food and drink, while supermarkets are open, is ludicrous.
It is time for a more balanced approach to Covid.
The response must always be proportionate to risk.
This article summarises the issues very well indeed. By doing their job police are the meat in the sandwich and, regrettably, are criticised by the people. Some even go as far as describing our society as the “Police State.” That of course, clearly demonstrates a total misunderstanding of the role of police in a democratic society.
People are more and more frustrated by the ever changing regulations, disinformation, conflicting views and endless lockdowns affecting their well being. It is a great pity that demonstrations are usually hijacked by those elements in our society whose aim is to reach for violence targeting police, private property or fellow citizens. The well meant messages are drowned in violence. Of course, it is illegal to hold any mass meetings or demonstrations during lockdowns in the first place. That so many people are risking huge fines (and their health) shows the level of despair. In the meantime a number of police are recovering from their wounds sustained in the course of duty.
Hopefully the time is not too far when the sound reason will prevail and we will learn to live with the ever present virus, and abolish all those often non-sensical regulations bringing untold suffering to so many fellow citizens. The PM now sees it too. And good on him!
Barry Traynor
The violent assaults on police at the recent lock down demonstrations had nothing to do with anti vaxers as most of them would not turn up with bottles, marbles and flares to attack police and were not generally perceived as violent or anti police. The outrage should be directed to the Government and not to police officers sworn to uphold the laws. To every left wing magistrate , solicitor and the judicial system in general, let me remind you of Section 31(1) (1b) of the Crimes Act and the penalty maximum of 5 years. Let me remind you that since the legislation was introduced and many police officers have been badly assaulted not one person has ever been gaoled for 5 years.. This makes an absolute mockery of the justice system. Maybe it is about time magistrates and solicitors copped a hiding and see what the reaction would be. I never ever thought that in my 30 years in Victoria Police, that Victoria would become the Anarchy State.Shame on you Andrews and your bunch of apparatchiks\\\”
I absolutely agree that the government should be the target of ire. However it is also apparent that senior police have relished their role as enforcers of the government’s will.
Unfortunately the narrative around the recent issues with the protests ignores a key element. In every case the violence was triggered by police aggression. Review of all available footage of events – not just from the mainstream media and police – makes this obvious. Yes there were people looking to make trouble – both within the protest group and the police. That’s uncomfortable from a societal perspective, but it’s true.
What type of country are we living in when our authorities think it’s appropriate to deploy tear gas and rubber ordnance against people wishing to protest against what they see as oppressive government? Not only were these tactics employed, they were used as the first response to what was, at the time, peaceful protest.
Government absolutely needs to be held to account. For the average person however, that seems an impossible task when said government has anointed itself as the ultimate ruler and weaponised the police force against the very people they should be serving.
Correct, My wife and i were at the first protests in melb. They were peaceful until police went through the crowd telling us to leave as things were going to escalate. the police then escalated by corralling and forcing intimidation upon the crowd which had gathered at the shrine given approval by the vic pol commissioner as legal on media. We have seen arrests of old ladies on park benches, arrest of pregnant women in their homes for alleged facebook incitement, women being pushed to the ground and pepper sprayed whilst injured by two police etc. The police have used excessive violence and force against a defenceless public too much. Every person has a breaking point under duress. Instead of care and compassion has been a brutal force as seen in communist countries. We also need a marshall or sheriff system as in the USA to uphold accountability in the police and a board of oversight not subject to the same govt ie arms length