Well here we are, almost six months into the pandemic and it’s dangerously negligent that the Federal Government still hasn’t got a virtual parliament up and running. For months the advice has been clear, to use technology to work from home when you can. But when it comes to running the country, it’s do as I say, and not as I do.
Frankly it’s not good enough that next week MPs and their staff, from all over Australia, will gather in Canberra in their many hundreds for Federal Parliament. Heavens the technology exists, as shown by the British Parliament which has been meeting virtually since April.
Yes, the Attorney-General has questioned whether parliamentary privilege can extend online. But surely this is a nonsense, because parliamentary committees have been meeting outside of Parliament House for decades without a problem.
Moreover lawyers say there’s simply nothing in the Australian Constitution preventing an online parliament, and we’ve all seen on the telly how well the National Cabinet works.
Look my community is very concerned about the prospect of another COVID-19 outbreak. So it’s way beyond time the Federal Government, especially now that the ALP has finally come around, got off its butt and organised virtual sittings. Until it does, it’s failing us all badly.