We Are Family MP Linhart won't back state of emergency extension

Coalition MP for the We Are Family Party Patrick Linhart has announced that he will not support any further prolongation of the state of emergency by parliament, citing the "nonsensical nature" of such a move, poor communication with the public on the government's part and disputes within the coalition. "I won't vote for a nonsensical prolongation of the state of emergency, and I'm in favour of allowing retail shops to reopen and of immediately compensating the self-employed for 100 percent of their losses," Linhart told TASR, adding that the job of MPs was to check and guide the government. "MPs aren't meant to be mere button-pressers that vote as the government dictates."