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FACTCHECK
Debunked: Australian footage from 2021 used to imply Covid lockdowns are being enforced again
A recent date superimposed over footage of the premier of Victoria has stirred up anger
A VIDEO SHOWING severe health restrictions being announced in Victoria, Australia, has been shared online with a date and captions implying that it shows a more recent event. The footage, however, is from February 2021.
There is currently no public safety order in force in Victoria to combat Covid-19, nor has there been any such lockdown this year.
“From 11:59 PM tonight, Victoria – all of Victoria – will go to stage 4,” the video begins.
Premier Daniel Andrews, who speaks throughout the video, goes on to list restrictions designed to prevent the spread of Covid-19, such as not travelling more than five kilometres from home, mandatory facemasks, and a limit of 10 people at funerals, as well as a ban on weddings.
The date “9-16-23” is superimposed in the centre of the screen.
“We’ve done this before. Victorians know what to do. And they know that these tactics – this type of response – works,” Andrews says as the video ends.
One version of the video, shared by an Irish Facebook user with the caption, “When this comes to Ireland again, will you comply?” has been viewed more than 62,000 times.
Angry responses to the video on Facebook talk about protesting the new lockdowns, as well as calling Andrews a fascist, and claiming that Covid was never really dangerous.
However, despite the onscreen date, the footage is not new. It was taken from a press conference held in February 2021.
That particular lockdown lasted for five days, though some restrictions, such as limits on international travel and mask mandates, remained in force for some time afterwards.
However, this was not the last of Victoria’s lockdowns, and further restrictions were imposed and relaxed throughout the pandemic.
In October 2022, the legal instrument that allowed the Covid-19 restrictions to be enforced in Victoria – the Covid-19 pandemic declaration - expired.
No new lockdowns have been issued in that state since.
Daniel Andrews, the premier of Victoria who featured in the video, today announced his retirement.
An overview of his premiership, published by ABC, the national broadcaster of Australia, said Andrews had “defied those who painted him as ‘Dictator Dan’ after Victoria’s harsh and bleak years of lockdowns, and delivered another term for his Labor government”.
A 2022 landslide state election saw Andrew’s party gain a seat.
Verdict
A video announcing Covid-19 restrictions from February, 2021 has been shared with a date superimposed on it that suggests it shows recent events. There is no current Covid-19 lockdown in Victoria, Australia.
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