Daniel Andrews stands by Chris Eccles despite disastrous decision
A day after criticising his most senior bureaucrat for the disastrous decision not to pass on a federal offer of ADF troops to help run hotel quarantine, Daniel Andrews has softened his stance.
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Premier Daniel Andrews is standing by his most senior bureaucrat despite a disastrous decision not to pass on a federal offer of ADF troops to help run hotel quarantine.
A day after criticising Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Chris Eccles for failing to tell him about the offer of boots on the ground of hotels — made by the Prime Minister’s office on April 8 — Mr Andrews softened his stance towards his right-hand man.
Mr Eccles, who has been instrumental in manoeuvring the public service to accommodate the Premier’s plans since he rose to power, is understood to have been stunned by Mr Andrews’ evidence before the hotel inquiry on Friday.
Mr Andrews told the inquiry that had he known that the secretary of Prime Minister and Cabinet Phil Gaetjens told Mr Eccles that troops were available for the quarantine scheme in April, it may have influenced his decision-making.
Mr Andrews was asked on Saturday whether he stood by Mr Eccles, and he strongly backed him in, saying the decision not to pass on information was “out of character for him”.
“He’s an outstanding public servant,” Mr Andrews said.
The Premier was also grilled about why he had mentioned ADF support in March, given that he now claimed he did not know troops were on offer.
On March 28, the Premier thanked the Prime Minister for offering defence support.
“We’ll utilise private security, we’ll also utilise members of Victoria Police and I’m very grateful to the Prime Minister for his offer of support from the Australian Defence Force,” the Premier said at the time.
On Saturday, Mr Andrews said he thought at the time that other states with more pressing needs would get that support and Victoria’s assistance would not be “substantial”. Mr Eccles told the inquiry last week he couldn’t recall if he had told anyone about the April 8 offer from Mr Gaetjens.
On Saturday, Mr Andrews again said he “would have liked to have known” about the offer as it might have changed his decision-making around hotel quarantine.
“I can’t be certain about what might have changed … (but) if I had known that, well then that was very, very different to what we all left the national cabinet meeting very clear on.”
On April 8, shortly after the quarantine program was established, Mr Gaetjens exchanged emails about “the question of assistance with security” with Mr Eccles.
Mr Gaetjens referenced how Defence members were provided to assist with security in NSW hotels, and told Mr Eccles: “I am sure the Commonwealth would be willing to assist Victoria in a similar way if you wanted to reconsider your operating model.”
Mr Eccles replied that afternoon and said: “Thanks Phil.”
The emails were released to the inquiry on September 15.
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