Jeff Kennett: Dan Andrews and his crisis cabinet’s lies expose the shadiness of Labor

The leaders of Victorian Labor have consistently lied to us in pursuit of their own agenda — and Dan Andrews subjecting us to a Covid curfew that wasn’t based on medical advice is just one of the many ways they’ve blocked the truth.

Yes, there is an important federal election about to take place, but something more important has come to light for all Victorians.

We have been lied to by our state government.

Former premier Daniel Andrews and his government condemned Victorians to the longest lockdown in the world to combat Covid in 2020 based on medical advice.

But we are now told that in August 2020, during one of those lockdown periods, his government took the unprecedented decision to lock Victorians in their homes between 8pm and 5am for two whole months – even though it was “not occurring on public health advice but is a decision taken by Cabinet”.

So no curfew advice was offered, or submitted to the government.

Former premier Daniel Andrews and his government condemned Victorians to the longest lockdown in the world to combat Covid in 2020 based on medical advice. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

The decision was made by Andrews and his seven-member crisis cabinet, including current Premier Jacinta Allan.

They then sought approval of the Chief Medical Officer for their actions.

The Liberal leader in the Upper House David Davis has battled, through Freedom of Information, to gain access to documents for four-and-a-half years.

All the time, the government has fought and denied the release of the relevant document for all.

Such tactics are not unusual for the Andrews/Allan governments.

The Liberal Leader in the Upper House David Davis has battled, through Freedom of Information, to gain access to documents for four-and-a-half years. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The truth about the car accident at Balnarring involving Andrews, which left a young man with lifelong injuries, and Andrews never contacting the young man, has never been told.

The Red Shirts Affair before the 2014 state election when the Labor Party led by Andrews inappropriately used public funds for their own electoral benefit, denied the misuse and fought the case right up to the High Court. A case they lost.

Also, the former premier’s “fall” down steps of his rented holiday house, the details of which have been confined to a few, even though public resources were used post the “fall” and his recuperation from work for three months.

Now there is the subject of the curfew information that Davis has finally secured. More efforts to cover up the facts and lies as to why Victorians were subjected to this harsh lockdown measure.

A man in Federation square in the last hours before Melbourne is under strict curfew and a state of emergency. Picture: David Geraghty

Not only did Andrews’ mismanagement of Covid lead to deathly outcomes, because of the way he oversaw the hotel quarantine which cost more than 800 lives alone, he and his ministers continued the cover-up when they appeared before the inquiry they established and when questioned all said “they could not remember” who appointed the Sydney security firm that was appointed to oversee security at the hotel.

The six lockdowns that Victorians endured from 2020 to 2022 forced families to stay at home, keep children from schools and playgrounds, and also resulted in the failure of so many small businesses.

Now we hear that one significant element – the 2020 curfew – was not based on medical advice, but because Andrews thought he knew better than those charged with providing medical advice.

Let’s not forget he delivered the longest lockdown period in the world; we had the most deaths in Australia.

Let’s not forget Dan Andrews delivered the longest lockdown period in the world and we had the most deaths in Australia. Picture: AFP

Those punishing lockdowns denied our children the discipline of attending school, of learning. Many of the increase in crimes being committed here in Victoria by young males over the last few years would likely have been committed by young boys, now young men, whose lives were so dislocated and disrupted by Andrews’ lockdowns.

So, Andrews’ crisis cabinet can now be criticised because their policies may have led to some of the criminal acts that are happening on our streets and homes. They have contributed to a new culture that is causing so much hardship, pain and fear among our community.

That Davis pursued the release of these documents since September 2020, is nothing short of heroic. To do so from opposition over such a long period of time, with little resources against the might of government using public funds, is incredible.

The Andrews/Allan governments have used every trick and appeal in the book to block the truth being made public.

The Suburban Rail Loop is a debt-ridden project for which the public release of information, even the original business plan, has been denied let alone the economic costings. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

But the avoidance continues, in terms of the public’s right to know.

For instance, the Suburban Rail Loop which was a thought bubble by some of Andrews’ mates, including James MacKenzie and Luke Sayers, to which Andrews’ former deputy Merlino was appointed chairman of the SRL without any experience commercially of massive infrastructure projects, is a debt-ridden project for which the public release of information, even the original business plan, has been denied let alone the economic costings.

The Victorian public has every reason to come to the conclusion that the Victorian Labor government from its very election has been a shady government and continues to be so.

Its leaders have lied to us and pursued its own agenda.

In doing so, they are bankrupting the state, reducing the quality of our services.

They have only ever thought of themselves and not the public they were elected to govern.

Jeff Kennett is a former Premier of Victoria