EQUALITY FOR VICTORIA’S PEOPLE OF FAITH

Dan, stop destroying everything Victorians value and need.

Dear Premier Daniel Andrews, We, people of Victoria’s faith community, request that the ‘Roadmap for Reopening' be amended so that people of faith and places of worship are treated equitably and fairly. The 2016 national census indicates that approximately 60% of Victorians identify as religious. For people of faith, the ability to practise our beliefs – including through public worship – is essential to our wellbeing. As it stands, the ‘Roadmap’ suggests that our wellbeing has not been given due consideration. We are particularly concerned about the inequitable treatment of people of faith under ‘Step 3’ of your ‘Roadmap’. For example, ‘Step 3’ permits cafes and restaurants to seat up to 20 people indoors and 50 people outdoors yet restricts religious communities to outdoor gatherings of only 10 people and indoor private worship limited to 'household bubbles'. There is no logical reason for this discrepancy. People of faith are able to attend a service in a place of worship whilst wearing a face mask; physical distancing is not a challenge in what are often very large venues; services are time-limited and rigorous infection-control measures are able to be implemented. A place of worship can and should be accessible in a COVID-safe way. Religious organisations should be afforded the same opportunity to open for indoor worship with density quotients equivalent to those seen in other parts of the community such as hospitality. We were afforded the opportunity as we emerged from the first lockdown; we deserve to be afforded the same opportunity again as we emerge from the second lockdown. Premier Andrews, we, people of Victoria’s faith community, request that you adjust the ‘Roadmap for Reopening’ in a way that secures the equitable treatment of religious communities and grants us the opportunity to practise our faith in a COVID-safe manner. Signed, People of all faiths, Victoria

I am homeless, please let me go in my father’s house.

Enough is enough

Please open your churches. The place of worship. God needs our prayers. Mr. Andrew.

Please allow us to return to church COVID safe

I do not believe this never ending lockdown is just about a virus. Andrews is a communist tyrant whose negligence has destroyed so many. Never ever should a church lock its doors, gods house should be open to his believers. This is criminal to deny people of faith their place to worship.

I want to go to church,and pray to God for the things to get better.

The people of Melbourne want a freedom to worship. The lockdown is against humanity.

I agreed to the pettion

Mr. Andrews. Time is up! Victorians have suffered very unjustly for months and frankly the majority I deal with are sick and tired of the lock up. We have been deprived many civil liberties not the least of which is participating in our various faiths. We request that you make substantial changes to allow churches to reopen by October 19 for the faithful and we understand that strict distancing etc. will have to be adhered to. I call on anyone reading this to also sign this petition and share it so we obtain a huge response. Thank you for the opportunity to participate. Theo Politakis. Mornington Vic.

I miss not being able to attend Sunday Mass and other events in person.

I think that COVID has been asked not to attack people in supermarkets.

Faith is essential to the lives of so many of us. It is not a 'nice to have' and as essential or more so than restaurants and hotels. The same rules at least should apply.

You have no right to interfere with religious beliefs

Holy Mass is inevitable for a Catholic's mental, spiritual and physical well being than having a professional consultation. So open our churches please ...All strict protocols will be strictly observed without any questions...

Thank you and God Bless

Attending mass services in church is very important to me

Please open our churches