Premier backs Annaliese van Diemen after she compared coronavirus to Captain Cook’s arrival
The public sector watchdog could investigate the controversial tweet made by Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer in which she compared COVID-19 to the arrival of Captain James Cook. It comes as Daniel Andrews dismissed the tweet as no big deal.
VIC News
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Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer could be formally investigated over her controversial tweet comparing Captain James Cook’s arrival in Australia to the coronavirus.
While Premier Daniel Andrews dismissed the issue as no big deal, the state’s public sector watchdog confirmed it would look into Dr Annaliese van Diemen’s tweet.
If a full-scale investigation is launched, the Victorian Public Sector Commission will probe whether Dr van Diemen’s tweet breached the Public Administration Act that requires public sector employees remain “impartial, apolitical and behave in a way that sustains public trust”.
The VPSC was asked to look into Dr van Diemen’s conduct by Liberal MP James Newbury.
His colleagues have been scathing of Dr van Diemen’s tweet, with Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien on Friday calling for her to resign.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison labelled her comments “very disappointing”.
“She clearly wouldn’t get the job as chief historian,” he said. “I applaud the work she is doing as a medical officer in Victoria, that’s her expertise. I would strongly suggest she keep to that, because those sorts of comments don’t inspire confidence. People should stick to their day jobs.”
Sudden arrival of an invader from another land, decimating populations, creating terror. Forces the population to make enormous sacrifices & completely change how they live in order to survive. COVID19 or Cook 1770?
— Dr Annaliese van Diemen (@annaliesevd) April 29, 2020
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told the Nine network Dr van Diemen had been running “culture war debates”, and declared: “She is unfit for that office and she should go”.
“It’s pretty obvious in the middle of a pandemic the second highest medical officer in the state of Victoria should be concentrating on the people of Victoria and the crisis associated with COVID-19,” he said.
Asked about the tweet, Victorian virus survivor Pablo Salazar — who spent six days in ICU at Monash hospital – said there were more important things to be focusing on, such as staying healthy and spending time with family.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday refused to be drawn on the controversy, saying the tweet was posted on a day off and wasn’t a major issue compared to the ongoing battle against the coronavirus.
He said Dr van Diemen, alongside Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton and the state’s entire public health team, had been doing an amazing job.
“We’ve got a lot of things to be concerning ourselves with at the moment and I am far more focused on the fact that hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs, people have died,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Health Officer is doing an outstanding job protecting Victorians from this deadly pandemic. Criticism from angry MPs is irrelevant to the fight against this virus. #springst
— Jenny Mikakos MP #StayHomeSaveLives (@JennyMikakos) April 30, 2020
“This is a once-in-a-century event and we are by no means at the end of it. I am far more focused on those matters which are much more important — fighting the virus.”
Mr Andrews said he was “fine” if people “find fault” with his decision not to reprimand or sack Dr van Diemen.
Australian Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, said Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer was a “fine young public health physician” who had been working 80 hours a week.
“I don’t personally concur with her view but I think that’s a matter for her,” he said.
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