ALP leader Daniel Andrews defends silence over wife's car crash

UPDATE: DANIEL Andrews has defended a decision to stay silent over a serious car crash involving his wife. | Peace shattered | Editorial

Daniel Andrews with his wife Catherine

UPDATE: OPPOSITION Leader Daniel Andrews has defended a decision to stay silent over a serious car crash involving his wife and a teenage boy, saying she is a "private citizen".

Catherine Andrews was at the wheel of a taxpayer-funded Ford Territory when it collided with a 15-year-old on a bicycle nine days ago in Blairgowrie.

Injured teen Ryan Meuleman's father, Peter, has told of his "dismay" because his family have not been contacted by the Andrews family to check on him and say sorry, even though his son had lost most of his spleen.

After the Herald Sun contacted him to inquire about the incident and Mr Meuleman's concerns last night, Mr Andrews' office issued a statement wishing the teen a speedy recovery.

Today's revelations sharply divided readers. Many leapt to Mr Andrews' defence, while other criticised his actions and raised questions about why his wife was not breath-tested by police in the wake of the crash.

The accident: Seaside peace shattered

Editorial: Andrews should have told us

Mr Andrews told 3AW this morning his wife asked police and the hospital about the teenager’s condition on the night of the accident, and the Ryan's health was his primarily concern.

"Now, let's just be really clear about this, my wife, on the night, only a few hours after the incident, spoke with police, she spoke with the Royal Children's Hospital. They couldn’t tell her much but redirected her back to police. I think she's had five conversations with police in a week getting an update each time of his condition. So we've been well informed.

"Perhaps Ryan's father doesn't know that we've made those calls and maybe that's why he’s angry. Maybe he thinks we haven't been interested. Nothing could be further from the truth," Mr Andrews said.

"What I do know is that there’s a comment in the paper today that this doesn't look good for me. I've not been at all concerned with how this looks. I've been concerned with the welfare of Ryan and I've been concerned to make sure that I didn't at any stage interfere in the police's investigation. That's an important process that they should go through. Whether it looks good or bad, that's not been my concern and it's not my concern now."

But yesterday, his office said he had no duty to issue a statement earlier because his wife was a private citizen and police were investigating.

"It was a nasty and traumatic incident for everyone involved and we wish the boy the very best for a full and speedy recovery," the statement, released about 6pm, read.

The Labor leader's wife was driving the government-funded car when Ryan hit its side about 1.30pm on January 7.

The injured teen was taken to a Rye oval to be flown to the Royal Children's Hospital where he underwent surgery to stem internal bleeding. He also suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs and cuts.

Surgeons took out all but 10 per cent of his spleen during the operation.

Mr Meuleman earlier said he felt "dismayed" the Andrews family had not contacted them to ask about his son's condition.

"The thing that is a real bone of contention is ... if I struck a boy on a bike - and touch wood I haven't and am not going to - but if I struck another motorist or pedestrian or a bike, whether or not I was at fault or not at fault, I would be contacting that family and saying, 'My God, I am so sorry, this is what happened. Is he OK? Is there anything I can do?"' he said.

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"But to just have absolute silence, you know, that raises again more questions, you know. So, that hurts."

Mr Andrews was in the front passenger seat and their children were in the back seat as the teenager careered over the bonnet and on to the windscreen.

The boy, still conscious, then lay prone on Ridley St until an ambulance arrived about 15 minutes later.

I only saw them for a split second and they hit me. Very scary

Mr Andrews phoned emergency services as a witness used the boy's phone to make contact with his sister, who rushed to the scene.

Mrs Andrews had minor injuries from the shattered windscreen. She was not breath-tested by police.

Mr Andrews also told 3AW today that they were returning from a trip to the beach, and his wife had "absolutely" not been drinking.

“The police did not breath test her, no. I’ve not been involved in an accident like that before. I don’t know how usual or unusual that is," Mr Andrews said.

"This was one o'clock in the afternoon. We had three little kids in the car. She spent quite a lot of time with the Victoria police. They were on the scene before the ambulance. She's cooperated with police, there was every opportunity and she would have no difficult in being breath tested if they'd asked her to."

Ryan said he had looked left and right before entering the intersection and didn't see a vehicle approaching.

"I think it was an accident. I only saw them for a split second and they hit me. Very scary," he said.

"She (Mrs Andrews) was yelling 'Help' and 'Call an ambulance', 'You'll be all right'."

But the teen said he was also disappointed not to have heard anything from them since the accident.

After being approached about the Meulemans' concerns at 4pm yesterday, Mr Andrews released the 6pm statement, saying it was a traumatic incident.

But Mr Andrews' spokeswoman, Sally Finlay, said: "They haven't made a public statement because Mrs Andrews is a private citizen and they'd been in regular contact with the police about his condition. And it was a pretty terrible event for all of them including the three children in the back."

Mrs Andrews received five updates on the injured boy's condition, but they were told they could not be given a name because he was a minor, she added.

Mr Andrews said he would "extend his best wishes" to Ryan once the police investigation is complete.

"When we're told the investigation is over, I'd be only too happy to personally extend my best wishes to Ryan and to his family and I hope I get a chance to do that," Mr Andrews said today.