Health Minister Jenny Mikakos resigns parliament over botched hotel quarantine program
Premier Daniel Andrews has called Jenny Mikakos’ decision to quit in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic the “appropriate” choice as pressure mounts on him and other key ministers to resign over Victoria’s hotel quarantine fiasco.
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Victoria’s Health Minister has quit in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, after being infuriated by Premier Daniel Andrews’ evidence at the hotel quarantine inquiry.
The bombshell resignation, which Jenny Mikakos relayed to the Premier via a text after he failed to pick up her phone call, sparked chaos in the government just weeks after the pair’s relationship began to break down.
Mr Andrews has drafted in Mental Health Minister Martin Foley to replace Ms Mikakos — who also quit state parliament — as he vowed to stay on as Premier and deliver whatever the hotel quarantine inquiry recommends.
“I don’t run from challenges, I’ve got a very important job to do,” he said.
He said Ms Mikakos had made the “appropriate” choice to quit, but repeatedly refused to say why he thought it was the “right decision”.
“I did not speak with the minister before she resigned. I have not spoken to her since,” he said.
“She sent me a text. She has resigned. She is no longer a minister.”
The Premier later descended into a war of words with another former minister, Adem Somyurek, who he said wasn’t missed from the cabinet table. In response, Mr Somyurek fired back on social media: “At least I wasn’t responsible for the death of 760 people”.
As tempers fray across government, Mr Andrews will on Sunday attempt to reset the agenda by revealing changes to his road map to recovery and restrictions that have strangled the lives of Victorians.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands that changes to the 9pm curfew were debated on Saturday night, while industries such as abattoirs and supermarket distribution centres will be supported to reopen quicker than planned to avoid Christmas food shortages.
Some real estate inspections are also likely to be back on the cards.
Ms Mikakos, who was one of eight ministers to sit in the COVID-19 crisis council of cabinet, took a parting shot at Mr Andrews on the way out the door.
Resigning directly to Governor Linda Dessau, she said couldn’t stand by while her integrity was undermined.
“I have never wanted to leave a job unfinished but in the light of the Premier’s statement to the board of inquiry and the fact that there are elements in that that I strongly disagree with, I believe I cannot continue to serve in his cabinet,” she said.
“I have never shirked my responsibility for my department, but it is not my responsibility alone. I look forward to the board of inquiry’s final report.”
Mr Andrews had nominated Ms Mikakos as bearing responsibility for the disastrous hotel quarantine operation, due to the Department of Health being the control agency in a pandemic.
Ms Mikakos had said it was a collective responsibility.
The Premier faced further heat on Saturday over whether he knew about an offer of ADF troops who could have assisted with the quarantine scheme.
Mr Andrews claims he didn’t realise an offer for “substantial” assistance was on the table, and that his department secretary Chris Eccles didn’t relay a message on April 8 from the Prime Minister’s department.
Despite saying that if Mr Eccles had passed on that information his decision-making on quarantine matters may have been different, the Premier is standing by his right hand man, calling him an “outstanding public servant”.
He is also standing by health secretary Kym Peake.
Labor insiders say the relationship between Ms Mikakos and Mr Andrews has deteriorated over weeks and months, and that the Premier threw her to the wolves by his inquiry evidence.
The brutal cutting down of Ms Mikakos has stunned some Labor MPs, while others described her as a convenient scapegoat.
Mr Andrews said he had been making phone calls on Friday night so wasn’t sure if he missed one from Ms Mikakos, and said her resignation had been relayed to him after it was made official by the Governor.
“She sent me a text after that,” he said.
Mr Andrews and his staff had made calls on Friday night to members of the COVID-19 cabinet to gauge their reaction to his performance at the inquiry.
He was left with the impression it would be difficult for Ms Mikakos to remain in her role — a conclusion she had also come to.
The Premier said his ministers were all united, as was his caucus, and that his primary focus was on dealing with the pandemic.
He also flagged a massive spending program on infrastructure and skills training to “repair the damage that this pandemic has done”.
“It will be about supporting people … to find the job that they want and to make sure that they’ve got the skills they need for that job, as well as driving confidence in getting our economy growing again and getting us back to where we are at our best — when we are out in front, leading,” he said.
ANDREWS DEFENDS MIKAKOS’ CRITICISM
Mr Andrews said Ms Mikakos was “free to have a view” on the bungled hotel quarantine program but wouldn’t be drawn on questions about their relationship.
“She is free to make comments, free to have a view, and with respect, I am free and it is appropriate for me to wait for the findings of the board of inquiry, that is a very important process and that is one that is not yet finished. It will be finished soon.”
Mr Andrews said he was not in a position to speculate about what Ms Mikakos meant when she said she strongly disagreed with some of the evidence given by the Premier at the hotel quarantine inquiry.
“The minister’s statement doesn’t provide detail. She makes comment. I’m not in a
position to speculate on what she’s referring to you. All I can say is I appeared yesterday, and I provided a statement. I did so on — under and I — oath. And I can’t comment on what she’s referring to.”
CALL FOR THE PREMIER TO GO
Opposition leader Michael O’Brien has called for Daniel Andrews to resign following the sudden resignation of health minster Jenny Mikakos.
Mr O’Brien said Ms Mikakos’ resignation was a welcome move, but didn’t go far enough.
“Mikakos should go because of contact tracing failures and her dodgy evidence to the Inquiry,” Mr O’Brien said.
“But Mikakos did not say ‘no’ to ADF. She did not bring in private security for hotel quarantine. These decisions caused our 2nd wave. Andrews is responsible. He must go.”
Several Liberal MPs have also today called for Mr Andrews to resign immediately.
“Leadership is about taking responsibility. Throwing a Minister under a bus isn’t leadership, it’s cowardice,” Matthew Guy said.
“The litany of failures ultimately rest with one person, Premier Daniel Andrews. He’s the person who should resign.”
MIXED REACTIONS TO MIKAKOS’ DEPARTURE
Reacting to Ms Mikakos’s resignation, former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett said that more cabinet members should follow suit - including Daniel Andrews.
“Jenny Mikakos resigns. 7 to go including the Premier. Go now and go quickly,” Mr Kennett tweeted.
Liberal MP Tim Smith welcomed the news of the health minister’s decision to quit her role but hit out at Ms Mikakos for not giving an “apology for her negligence in causing the second wave, resulting in over 750 Victorian deaths.”
He also criticised the Premier for lack of answers over the hotel quarantine bungle.
“Mikakos has gone. Good. But the Premier and no other Minister has accepted responsibility for the decision to use private security instead of the ADF and police,” he said.
Andrews has not explained why he thanked the PM for the offer of ADF support on March 28th but didn’t use them.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said he was sorry to see Ms Mikakos resign.
“She has worked tirelessly in this pandemic,” he tweeted.
“Premier Andrews assertion that the Health Minister was responsible for the Quarantine system lacks logic. How could a Health Minister direct Police to be involved.”
Reason Party leader Fiona Patten paid tribute to Ms Mikakos.
“Whilst she didn’t always agree with me, and wasn’t afraid to tell me, she always gave me a fair hearing,” she said.
Ms Patten said Ms Mikakos had worked hard on Safe Access Zones legislation and Voluntary Assisted Dying laws.
“For that I will always be grateful,” she said.
“It has been an extraordinary time for us all, but especially so if you are the Health Minister. Jenny has carried herself remarkably well during these difficult times.
“She certainly was a real presence in the Upper House chamber and, at least from my own point of view, will be missed.”
Labor MPs have publicly thrown their support behind Ms Mikakos.
Federal Labor MP Chris Bowen paid tribute to Ms Mikakos’ service to the Victorian people in “very difficult circumstances”.
“Jenny has more understanding of ministerial responsibility in her little finger than Angus Taylor, Michael Sukkar and Alan Tudge combined. I wish her the best,” he tweeted.
Oakleigh MP Steve Dimopolous said he was proud to call Ms Mikakos a friend.
“Few people have worked as hard or have more passion for helping others,” he said. “I’ve never seen a hint of personal ambition, just an ambition to do good. Proud to call you a friend, Jenny.”
Bentleigh MP Nick Staikos said few MPs worked as hard.
“She is a person of integrity who has worked her guts out while carrying the extraordinary weight of an unprecedented health crisis on her shoulders,” Mr Staikos said.
Sacked Labor MP Adem Somyurek, a former colleague of Ms Mikakos in the upper house, said she got people off-side with a competitive style by “was one of the hardest working MPs”.
In a short statement the Health Workers Union, who this week called for Ms Mikakos’ resignation, welcomed the move.
“We hope to engage with a new Health Minister to put a stop to the bizarre decisions to contract out public hospital cleaners and other non-clinical workers during a pandemic,” a spokesman said.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick described Ms Mikakos as a “passionate, quiet achiever...and steadfast leader”.
“She has been a champion for improved nurse/midwife patient ratios in Victoria’s public health services steering bills, to improve staffing levels and patient care, through the Upper House,” she said.
“The ANMF regrets the pandemic delayed her the opportunity to focus on further health reforms and improvements – we know her ambition was always to make it better for others.”
Ms Fitzptarick welcomed the appointment of Martin Foley as Health Minister.
“We welcome him to the health and ambulance services portfolios and look forward to working with him to improve the health system during the pandemic and beyond,” she said.
A time for today’s press conference has not yet been announced.
But the Premier is meeting with his Crisis Council of Cabinet later today to finalise a list of restrictions to be eased following an expected announcement tomorrow.
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My media statement is attached. #springst pic.twitter.com/h0Quxyed2P
— Jenny Mikakos MP #StayHomeSaveLives (@JennyMikakos) September 25, 2020
— With Sarah Aquilina, Shannon Deery and Nick D’Urbano
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