Daniel Andrews, scandal-ridden Premier of virus-plagued Victoria, sledges South Australia for opening its borders
He’s engulfed in scandal and COVID-19 continues to spread in his state, but the Victorian Premier has sought to distract disgruntled Melburnians by taking a cheap shot at South Australia. So where would you rather be? Take our poll.
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The scandal-ridden Premier of the Australian state with the gloomiest weather, worst virus outbreaks and most overrated coffee has taken a swipe at SA for its decision to keep tourists from the eastern seaboard out of the state until late next month.
Daniel Andrews, who is currently dealing with the fallout of a bombshell expose into Labor Party branch-stacking, lashed out at SA for keeping quarantine rules in place for Victorian and New South Wales visitors until July 20.
At midnight on Tuesday, SA lifted quarantine restrictions for visitors from states with few or no cases of the virus: Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
“I don’t want to be offensive to South Australians but why would you want to go there?” Mr Andrews asked reporters in Melbourne.
“Holiday here … go skiing, go to the wine country, go to the beach, whatever it might be.
“Don’t get too stressed they won’t let you into Adelaide, why would you want to stay there?”
Cases of COVID-19 jumped by 21 in Victoria overnight.
Of the new cases, 15 are returned travellers in hotel quarantine and another two are linked to known outbreaks.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian also said SA’s decision was “crazy”.
“I can’t see the logic in it. I think it’s crazy,” she told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.
NSW reported just one new coronavirus case on Wednesday.
Federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham fired back at Mr Andrews, calling his comments “a desperate distraction”.
“It sounds like a desperate distraction from Dan Andrews who clearly thinks that sparking up a cheap tit-for-tat war of words with another state might distract people from the endemic corruption within the Victorian Labor Party,” Mr Birmingham said.
SA Premier Steven Marshall also responded to Mr Andrews’ comments, tweeting a video promoting the many tourism experiences on offer in SA.
“Well Dan, here’s why,” Mr Marshall tweeted.
Later on Wednesday, Mr Andrews noted the backlash and doubled down on his comments tweeting that they seemed to “hit a bit of a sore spot across the border”.
“But it’s true. We have everything right here in Victoria. And if you take your next break in a bushfire-affected community — all the better”.
@DanielAndrewsMP asked why anyone would want to go to South Australia.
— Steven Marshall, MP (@marshall_steven) June 17, 2020
Well Dan, here's why 👇 pic.twitter.com/JdhG4DwLKB
Mr Andrews’ tweet also attracted a strong defence of SA from social media users.
You must be an absolute wowser @DanielAndrewsMP Some of the best wineries in the world are in South Australia!!! Why wouldn’t you want to go there..... #mclarenvale
— tim wright (@timwrig55071916) June 17, 2020
Hey! @DanielAndrewsMP South Australia is the best. How 'bout you focus on your own issues. #SAGreat
— Amanda Bachmann (@akbachmann) June 17, 2020
Bagging out South Australia @DanielAndrewsMP is not helping here. You need to stand up and be a leader. States closing borders is not good for anyone.
— JodieM (@jodiem) June 17, 2020
Hey @DanielAndrewsMP,
— Airlie Walsh (@AirlieWalsh) June 17, 2020
1. The Barossa
2. Farmers Union Iced Coffee
3. Crows
4. Zero congestion
5. The food
6. Malls Balls
7. The pageant
8. Fringe festival
9. Fruchocs
10. Kangaroo Island
I can go on. https://t.co/5qs2pmgsbz
Seems these remarks hit a bit of a sore spot across the border – but it's true. We have everything right here in Victoria. And if you take your next break in a bushfire-affected community – all the better. pic.twitter.com/WTJTqqDlTB
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 17, 2020