This archive report was first published on 18 July 2020.
On July 18, 2020, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the suspension of parliament for two weeks due to concerns that politicians could bring coronavirus from outbreak hotspots to the country's capital, Canberra.
The decision comes after Australia's second-biggest city, Sydney, reported a record rise in COVID-19 infections on July 17, 2020.
According to Morrison, the government could not ignore the risk that legislators might spread the disease to Canberra, citing medical advice.
“The risks posed by a parliamentary sitting are significantly higher and unlikely to be resolved in the next month,” Morrison said.
Canberra and its surrounding Australian Capital Territory have been managing the virus, but cases have been on the rise in Sydney and Melbourne.
The suspension means parliament will not reconvene until at least August 24, 2020, having resumed on June 8, 2020.
The main opposition party, Labor, accepted the decision but described the loss of political oversight ahead of a government update on the economy as “problematic”.
“We expect to be consulted much further in advance from any decision being made than what’s occurred with these circumstances,” Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese said.
Victoria's chief health officer, Brett Sutton, said the region had recorded more than 200 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, following a rise on Friday of 438.
“217 is much better than a number above 400, but it’s a number that would have shocked us all a month ago,” Sutton said.
“We need to remember it’s still a high number.”
