Off the Record: Dan Andrews really loves South Australia – the proof is in who he keeps by his side
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews may claim to hate South Australia, but deep down he loves us. Just look at who he hangs out with.
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OFF THE RECORD: Victorian Premier Dan Andrews may claim to hate South Australia, but deep down he loves us. Just look at his record.
The South Australian touch
The somewhat under pressure Victorian premier Dan “why would you want to go there” Andrews may not be too keen on our fair (and mostly virus-free) state but he does seem to have a thing for those who have worked in South Australia.
Andrews this week lost his right-hand man Chris Eccles, who quit as Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, a position that made him Victoria’s most-senior public servant. Eccles resigned after phone records emerged that showed he had spoken with then police commissioner Graham Ashton on the day the ill-fated hotel quarantine program that was staffed by private contractors was set up. Eccles denied he had spoken to Ashton.
Before taking that job, Eccles held a similar job in South Australia, working as chief executive of the Department of Premier and Cabinet between 2009 and 2011 when Mike Rann was premier.
Now Eccles has been replaced at Andrews’ right-hand side by Jeremi Moule. Moule also worked in DPC in SA. He was here between 2013 and 2015 under Jay Weatherill, holding the title executive director strategic engagement and communications. One of his roles in the that job was escorting English backpackers William and Kate Windsor when they toured SA in 2014.
Moule was also coach of the Adelaide Lightning basketball team ... he left in 2015 after the Lightning finished seventh and missed the finals. Andrews will be hoping his latest South Australian import can deliver better results.
Who you gonna call?
Nine MPs would have breathed a sigh of relief yesterday when new Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Ann Vanstone decided there was “no evidence of misconduct’’ against any of them. Vanstone warned not to read anything into the decision to keep investigating other MPs for their use of the country members’ allowance.
However, it is believed two of the MPs have gone straight to the top of the legal food chain to seek advice on how to deal with ICAC. Former Legislative Council president Terry Stephens and Liberal backbencher Fraser Ellis are believed to have engaged the services of premium silk Michael Abbott.
Abbott declined to confirm the appointment, directing Off the Record to the pair’s lawyer, Tindall Gask Bentley partner Sam Joyce. Joyce also declined to confirm the appointment.
Abbott has certainly represented pollies before. He represented former Labor Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis during ICAC’s inquiry into the Gillam land deal and former minister Leesa Vlahos during the Oakden investigation.
He also represented disgraced former Labor MP Bernie Finnigan during his trial on child pornography charges.
West Ended
Off the Record is always amazed at the extensive memories of those in politics, especially when it comes to getting in a little dig at an opponent.
No sooner had the sad news been announced that the West End brewery was to close than Off the Record received a Hansard extract from March last year.
It featured an exchange between Liberal backbencher Adrian Pederick and Skills Minister David Pisoni during debate on the Statutes Amendment (Liquor Licensing) Bill.
And here it is.
“Mr Pederick: Why you would drink a Southwark any more is another matter, but that was the beer of the day.
“The Hon. D.G. Pisoni: West End is worse.”