Opinion

COVID-19 ministerial powers need to be reined in

By Joo-Cheong Tham
April 27 2020 - 2:00am
The size of the Advance to Finance Minister Mathias Cormann is mind-boggling. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
The size of the Advance to Finance Minister Mathias Cormann is mind-boggling. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong

The COVID-19 crisis has seen extraordinary powers conferred upon individual Ministers. Under the Biosecurity Act, the Health Minister has emergency powers to issue requirements to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. The Finance Minister now has at his disposal a $40 billion Advance. The Minister for Social Services has until the end of the year the power to alter eligibility rules and payment rates for all social security payments; and under the $130 billion JobKeeper scheme, the Treasurer has the power to set the rules.

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