Premier turns to social media to defend plans to extend state of emergency

Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien does not support the move, leaving Mr Andrews to rely on at least four upper house MPs to pass the extension.

"This is not the act of a democrat – this is the act of a Premier whose power has gone to his head," Mr O'Brien said.

Mr Andrews, who is due to introduce a bill to extend the state of emergency in Parliament next week, took to Facebook and Twitter on Monday night to defend his plan, saying it was necessary to keep Victorians safe.

"Our laws are some of the most conservative emergency laws in Australia – almost every other state and territory can renew their equivalent emergency declarations indefinitely – we don't think that's necessary," he wrote in a lengthy Facebook post.

"This is about ensuring that we can legally make the changes our health experts need to keep us safe ... These changes are about saving lives and keeping Victorians safe - nothing more, nothing less."

Mr Andrews stressed the state of emergency extension was not the same as the state of disaster and that he was not proposing stage four lockdown measures such as Melbourne's 8pm curfew be extended.

The Premier said the extended state of emergency would prolong "commonsense" rules on face masks and social distancing, which he said had driven down transmission of the virus.

The past president of the Australian Medical Association, Tony Bartone, threw his support behind the move, saying it was a necessary logistical manoeuvre.

"Another 12 months extension of the state of emergency in the middle of a stage four lockdown, when we are seeing the first glimmer of hope that we are actually getting on top of this latest wave, was obviously news that was confronting, perhaps, but it is also necessary to understand the reasons behind [it]," Dr Bartone told Nine's Today show on Tuesday morning.

"It wasn't a signal that [Victoria] was going to extend the current lockdown, and perhaps that's how some people interpreted it, but it is about having the necessary ability to allow the Chief Health Officer's directives to be enforced."

Dr Bartone said he appreciated the call caught people by surprise, with the stage four lockdown taking its toll psychologically on Melburnians.

"It is a journey of faith, it is a journey of getting to the other side, and we all have a part to play – and we have to be very careful about the way we introduce new measures and take everyone along with us," he said.

Former federal opposition leader Member of Maribyrnong, Bill Shorten, said he had received a "deluge of emails from concerned constituents" about the Premier's move.

"I think all he wants to do with it is to be able to still have some powers to get people to wear masks and make sure workplaces have safety plans," he told the Today show.

"I think that figure of the 12 months had everyone freaking out last night. I think the explanation is a lot more benign, but probably time for 'Dan the Man' to put his explaining skills on display today and just calm the farm."

with Noel Towell and Mary Ward