Australia’s system of law and government contains a range of mechanisms through which the executive branch is held to account for its actions. However, in emergencies, these accountability mechanisms are often significantly eroded in a range of ways. This article examines how the forms and types of powers that Australian governments have relied on to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic have avoided many of the political, legal and administrative accountability mechanisms that ordinarily apply to government decision-making. It looks at whether these accountability limits are justified and asks whether we ought to be concerned.

中文翻译：

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紧急情况下的执行权：责任在哪里？

澳大利亚的法律和政府体系包含一系列机制，通过这些机制可以让行政部门对其行为负责。然而，在紧急情况下，这些问责机制往往以多种方式受到严重削弱。本文探讨了澳大利亚政府在应对 COVID-19 大流行时所依赖的权力形式和类型如何避免了通常适用于政府决策的许多政治、法律和行政问责机制。它着眼于这些问责制限制是否合理，并询问我们是否应该担心。