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The opposition and minor parties have jointly expressed alarm that Premier Daniel Andrews’ new Crisis Council of Cabinet will hand Andrews and seven of his ministers almost unchecked powers for six months.

In late April, the Labor government used its numbers to quash a Greens motion to set up a cross-party committee to scruti­nise the decisions of the Crisis Council, which will operate until at least September 30.

The Labor government instead handed oversight to the Labor-chaired Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, which has a majority of Labor members.

A new omnibus Bill in Victoria has passed after just three days of scrutiny, even as the Bill made unprecedented amendments to statutes addressing the health system, courts, prisons, local government and the rental market.

The Bill has troubled Australian Lawyers Alliance Victorian presi­dent Jeremy King, who said, “The proposed new laws will im­pose detention conditions that amount to full-time lockdown and isolation for some prisoners.”

Criminal Bar Association of Victoria chair Daniel Gurvich, QC, has told the Sydney Morning Herald that about one third of the bill altered a wide range of criminal justice issues, like judge-only trials and the placement of prisoners, but industry experts and MPs were given no time for consultation.

The Bill gives the Crisis Council the power to change justice system regulations without having to pass legislation in the Parliament, “so that justice processes can be quickly adapted to changing public health requirements”.

The majority of the amendments expire in September, except several environmental and rental market changes, which will be reviewed in 2021.

Before the Bill was passed in full, Victorian Liberals Leader Mi­chael O’Brien said the 305 page bill was not adequately scruti­nised, with just three days of examination.

“The Opposition was only provided with the Bill on Monday night, leaving little time for consultation with the many Victo­rians whose lives will be affected by it before it is debated on Thursday.”

FamilyVoice Victoria State Director Peter Stevens said, “It is in­appropriate to sacrifice the oversight of power for temporary safety. As U.S. President Benjamin Franklin warned, ‘Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.’ ”