
Dozens of Victorians protest COVID-19 restrictions
Dozens of Victorians have gathered at Parliament House in Melbourne to protest the state’s COVID-19 restrictions.
According to 9News, the protesters were heard chanting “no lockdown” and “arrest Bill Gates”. (A popular conspiracy theory connects Gates to the pandemic.)
It’s reported that a number of the protesters have been arrested or issued fines for not adhering to social distancing measures.
Dozens are breaching social distancing rules by protesting on the steps of parliament.. two fines already issued after protestors handed details over. They’ve told me they won’t pay @9NewsMelb pic.twitter.com/CbMs4Dmmuu
— Lana Murphy (@LanaMurphy) May 10, 2020
Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said it is “incredibly disappointing that people would be protesting or seeking to suggest we don’t have a pandemic”.
“Those people know that this pandemic is not fake news. We’ve had 28 Victorians lose their lives as a result of COVID-19,” she said.
NSW will relax COVID-19 restrictions from next Friday.
On Sunday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced stage one of relaxing of restriction will come into effect from Friday, a full week after Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed a three-stage plan to ease lockdown measures across Australia.
Currently, two adults from the same household, along with their dependent children, can visit another home in NSW under the existing COVID-19 restrictions.
The new relaxing of restrictions will allow up to five people visit a home, including children.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people will also be allowed, such as a physical training session or sitting down in a park, Ms Berejiklian said on Sunday.
“For the first time since our lockdown what this means is that you can leave the home for recreational purposes,” she told reporters in Sydney.