A Legislative Assembly committee has been established to scrutinise the ACT government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Liberals won support from Labor and the Greens on Thursday to set up the oversight body, which will probe the government's health and economic response to the pandemic.
As the ACT government prepares to announce its second economic support package to cushion households and business from the crisis, opposition leader Alistair Coe said scrutiny of spending and decision making was essential.
"These are extraordinary times, which require extraordinary power and therefore extraordinary scrutiny," Mr Coe said.
"We have to make sure that all the decisions made during this time are evidence-based and have the appropriate level of scrutiny. Now more than ever we need evidence-based decisions."
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Greens crossbencher Caroline Le Couteur strongly supported the establishment of the committee, as she expressed fears that the "idea of democracy" was being thrown out as governments raced to respond to the crisis.
She was pleased the ACT Legislative Assembly, which will meet just once a week for the remainder of the calendar, wasn't following federal Parliament and suspending sittings.
Federal Parliament will sit next week to pass the government's $130 billion wage subsidy program, but isn't scheduled to be recalled until August.
"I'm very pleased that we are not emulating the federal Parliament and that we are keeping oversight of what our government is doing in this incredibly trying time," she said.
"Hopefully it will lead to better outcomes for everyone."
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
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