Peter Costello says Labor under Andrews was ‘most incompetent’ government he’s seen

Former Nine chairman and Liberal treasurer Peter Costello has slammed Dan Andrews’ Labor regime for its “moronic” Covid bans and other initiatives, saying it was the “most incompetent government” he’d seen.

Peter Costello. Picture: David Beach

In his most high-profile public appearance since resigning as Nine’s chairman in June, former Liberal treasurer Peter Costello has blasted Daniel Andrews’s “moronic” Labor state government for its Covid pandemic restrictions, and for wrongly believing its role was to embark on Indigenous treaty negotiations and join China’s One Belt One Road initiative.

Mr Costello resigned in June amid widespread bullying and sexual harassment allegations across Nine’s broadcast divisions, which were aired formally this month at the publication of a company-wide workplace review.

His resignation came quickly after he made physical contact with a reporter from The Australian at Canberra Airport, where a journalist was sent tumbling to the ground.

Peter Costello at Canberra airport. Picture: Liam Mendes

Speaking at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship Australia conference in Sydney, Mr Costello took aim at spiralling levels of public debt and rising taxes, and said Mr Andrew’s Victorian Labor administration was the “most incompetent government” he’d seen.

“What I can’t understand is why government’s that fail their core responsibilities should be allowed to expand (its) privilege (remit),” he told the 700-person crowd.

“The most incompetent government in Australia comes to mind, after failing every test of prudent budget management, the Victorian government decided it would embark on treaty negotiations and joined China’s OBOR.

Daniel Andrews on his last day as Victorian Premier. Picture: Josie Hayden

“These are federal issues … (it was) nothing more than rank posturing.”

Mr Costello said Mr Andrews’s government should have “stuck” to its remit and “not find new areas to fail”, calling its Covid pandemic response, which saw the most severe restrictions in Australia, “moronic”.

“In Melbourne, (they) closed playgrounds, swings and slides were chained (shut) to stop children,” he said.

A Port Melbourne children’s park closed during a Covid lockdown. Picture: David Crosling

Mr Costello has slammed Dan Andrews’ Covid restrictions as moronic. Picture: David Crosling

“Children weren’t dying from Covid, and they wouldn’t die by using swings or slides.

“This moronic government even decided to institute a (curfew) … you’re not going to catch Covid driving alone in your car after 9pm.”

Mr Costello, however, said he was “scared” and concerned that citizens freely gave up their rights during the same period.

“ … Our leaders got a taste for control,” he said.

“We saw that liberties could be taken away very easily.”

He criticised the enlargement of governments across Australia’s three levels, pointing to Victorian government grants for AFL teams, suggesting it had a detrimental effect on the budget and private citizens, adding that widespread handouts could breed corruption.