December 2023
Daniel Andrews has a ‘twisted’ view of authority
Former Victorian integrity watchdog boss Robert Redlich says the electoral mandate never gave ex-premier Daniel Andrews ‘unlimited authority’.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing
September 2021
Vic health department prosecuted over hotel quarantine
The prosecutions for breaching occupational health and safety law are the first to stem from Victoria’s $5.7 million inquiry into the botched program last year.
- Hannah Wootton
February 2021
Taxpayers foot $7.7m hotel inquiry legal bill despite poor advice
During the hotel quarantine inquiry top tier law firm MinterEllison allegedly gave advice that fell short of legal professional standards.
- Hannah Wootton
December 2020
- Opinion
- Coronavirus pandemic
Andrews likely to survive 'shock' inquiry finding
Whether it is fair or right, the safe money is now on Daniel Andrews remaining as Victorian Premier to contest the 2022 election.
- Patrick Durkin
- Analysis
- Government Observed
Five things to know about the public sector this week
The power of psychology, the end of a health experiment and a COVID-19 app breakthrough have stood out.
- Tom Burton
Health department split ends Victoria's mega-agency experiment
The much-anticipated split of Victoria's sprawling Department of Health and Human Services ends a five-year attempt to drive a more holistic approach to health outcomes.
- Tom Burton
November 2020
Victoria's quarantine program claims another scalp
Health Department Secretary Kym Peake's departure follows the resignation of the health minister and Victoria's top bureaucrat after hotel quarantine breaches sparked the state's second wave of the COVID-19.
- Tom Burton
October 2020
- Opinion
- Coronavirus pandemic
Andrews banks on relief overwhelming anger
Daniel Andrews will be banking on the strong surge of relief among most Victorians overwhelming any criticisms and complaints about his approach.
- Jennifer Hewett
Feds, business lash Andrews on virus tracing
Business leaders and the Coalition say the Victorian Premier's move to delay the next reopening announcement shows a lack of faith in the state's contact tracing.
- Yolanda Redrup, Liam Walsh and John Kehoe
- Opinion
- The AFR View
State leadership uncertainty comes at a testing time
Gladys Berejiklian's unexpected fall from grace follows Daniel Andrews' travails. The two biggest states are now shaky at the top, right when the pandemic has increased the importance of state governments in Australia’s fight against the virus.
- The AFR View
'Nonsense': Mikakos dumps on Andrews' evidence
In a final submission to the Victorian hotel quarantine inquiry, former health minister Jenny Mikakos warns it should treat the Premier's evidence "with caution".
- Updated
- Hannah Wootton and Patrick Durkin
September 2020
- Opinion
- Coronavirus pandemic
The 15 failures of Victoria's hotel quarantine program
After weeks of hearings and nearly 300,000 pages of documents, what went wrong with Victoria's quarantine program is clear for all to see.
- Tom Burton
Mask crackdown mad, health experts warn
Health experts say there is a much greater chance of being hit by lightning in Melbourne than contracting the virus in the community.
- Patrick Durkin and Natasha Boddy
Top bureaucrats blamed for bungled hotel quarantine
Victoria's top bureaucrats failed to brief the Premier and ministers on problems in the state's failed hotel quarantine program before it was too late, an inquiry into the scheme heard in closing submissions.
- Hannah Wootton
Victorian government doesn't stint on legal representation
Of 45 lawyers who appeared before the Quarantine Inquiry representing witnesses, 25 were hired by the government, its agencies or ministers.
- Myriam Robin
- Exclusive
- Coronavirus pandemic
PM's hotel review puts more pressure on Andrews
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews faces more pressure over hotel quarantine when Prime Minister Scott Morrison receives his independent review of each state's program from former health and finance department boss Jane Halton.
- Patrick Durkin
Read the Mikakos statement in full
Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos resigned on Saturday a day after Premier Daniel Andrews held her "accountable" for the botched hotel quarantine program. This is her resignation statement in full.
- Jenny Mikakos
Mikakos resignation 'appropriate': Andrews
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the resignation of Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, after he blamed her the botched hotel quarantine program, was "appropriate". The Premier said he would not be resigning. Martin Foley will be the new Health Minister.
- Hannah Wootton and Tom Burton
Health Minister in dark on key Vic quarantine decisions
Jenny Mikakos says she was not told her department would have overall control of the hotel quarantine program, which unleashed Victoria's deadly second wave, and was not involved in its structure.
- Patrick Durkin
August 2020
'Real hope': Victoria's numbers start to fall
Victoria's harsh restrictions appear to be working as cases stabilise, but a 'cautiously optimistic' Premier Daniel Andrews has warned against complacency as numbers fall.
- Natasha Boddy