James Campbell on Daniel Andrews turmoil: Jane Garrett’s revelations stunning
DANIEL Andrews, by giving in to the UFU’s unreasonable demands, has shown he is prepared to crush everyone who gets in his way, writes James Campbell.
James Campbell
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VICTORIANS woke up on Tuesday morning to the news that more than a year ago Daniel Andrews had been warned by senior adviser John-Paul Blandthorn that the United Firefighters Union’s demands were “unrealistic … in both pay and entitlements”.
We also learned the Premier had been told that the UFU was “insistent on keeping outdated practices which are detrimental to the operation” and that its boss, Peter Marshall, had “crossed the line”.
Yet to give in to these unreasonable demands, the Premier has shown that he is prepared to crush everyone who gets in his way — whether it is his own emergency services minister, or the board of the Country Fire Authority.
Obviously, Mr Andrews would have been expected to explain himself.
For example, how was it that earlier this month he told parliament that he couldn’t recall anyone complaining to him about Marshall?
It was important, therefore — from the point of view of Dan and his people — that rather than have to talk about what the hell is going on in the government of Victoria, the focus instead be shifted to the question of who leaked the document.
To that end, at the caucus meeting on Tuesday, a number of MPs took turns lining up to denounce leakers.
One obscure backbencher even named Jane Garrett as the guilty party.
One disgusted MP described it as “Stalinist”.
If the bells for Question Time hadn’t rung, they’d probably still be at it. It is sad to have to report that apparently not one MP could be found to ask the Premier about the document itself.
It was, alas, a perfect illustration of the low calibre of the people we put into State Parliament these days.
Within an hour, Dan loyalists had leaked the story of the caucus meeting to denounce leakers. Perhaps buoyed by the belief he had his caucus behind him, Andrews gave a better performance in Question Time than he has in recent months.
Then, in the middle of the afternoon, the sky caved in.
Garrett released a statement which said, among other things, that Blandthorn had been involved in “brokering an arrangement” that Marshall not contact her during the school holidays in the light of his “distressing conduct towards me during the Easter break” last year.
Think about that for a minute. Garrett is saying Marshall’s behaviour was so bad that she had to ask Andrews’s staff to get him to stop harassing her when she was on holiday with her children.
But despite this, the Premier later went behind her back and agreed to give in to this union boss and hand him what he wanted.
Garrett is to answer questions about this in the Supreme Court. It will be fascinating to hear what she has to say.
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