The Canberra Liberals will today call on the ACT Legislative Assembly to establish a select committee to examine the ACT Government’s health and financial response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proposed committee comprised of two members from the Labor-Greens Government and two members from the Opposition would consider and report to the Assembly on the health and financial response along with any other matter that relates to COVID-19 in the ACT.

Canberra Liberals Leader Elizabeth Lee said a select committee looking into the government’s response to the pandemic will give the public an opportunity to ensure that government decisions being made under extraordinary circumstances are being made properly.

"A select committee into the COVID response is a good option for the public to be able to get more information and allow us to ensure the proper parliamentary scrutiny processes are in place," Ms Lee said.

“These are unprecedented times, and we are currently in a position where Canberra citizens have put enormous faith and trust in government decisions.

“In managing the pandemic, the ACT government is currently making necessary decisions to protect Canberrans.

“These decisions that we acknowledge must be made in the face of a once in a generation global health pandemic cannot be a reason to diminish our strong democratic values.

"Some of these decisions have a huge and significant impact on our freedoms and proper parliamentary scrutiny at a time like this is a fundamentally important part of our democracy,” concluded Ms Lee.