Premier Jacinta Allan to end Daniel Andrews’ 3AW ban

Premier Jacinta Allan is set to end the long-running radio war started by her predecessor Daniel Andrews, by appearing on 3AW’s revamped morning show.

Jacinta Allan will end a years-long radio war by being the state’s first premier to appear on Victoria’s most popular morning show for the first time in seven years.

A Victorian premier has not fronted a breakfast host or the station’s morning show since 2017 after Allan’s predecessor, Daniel Andrews, black-listed the program.

The Herald Sun can reveal that Ms Allan is set to chat with host Tom Elliott on his first day as veteran host Neil Mitchell’s replacement on Monday morning.

An “aggressive” on-air back and forth over Labor’s skyrail plans and Mitchell’s apparent probes into the 2013 car crash involving Andrews’ wife Catherine, which left then 15-year-old Ryan Meuleman fighting for life, were rumoured to be behind Andrews’ ban.

But insiders say a major shake-up to the Premier’s media team brought with it “cordial” relations with Elliott’s production staff.

Premier Jacinta Allan is set to appear on Tom Elliott’s new morning show. Picture: David Caird

It is understood Ms Allan’s friendly relationship with Elliott also helped encourage her office’s change of heart.

Ms Allan’s move to revoke her predecessor’s ban follows an on-air promise she made with Elliott in September last year to speak with him on the program when he takes over from Mitchell.

There is no shortage of material for the pair to discuss, with Ms Allan facing questions in recent weeks around the state’s ballooning budget and mounting tensions over public holiday plans for Australia Day on January 26.

Their amicable rapport could mark a stark shift away from Mr Andrews’ last appearance on the show.

Mitchell said the former premier became “grumpy” over his line of questioning.

Tom Elliott has replaced Neil Mitchell on 3AW’s morning show. Picture: Ian Currie

“The last interview was pretty aggressive. It was about skyrail (Melbourne’s elevated train line) and he was conducting a survey into skyrail before they built it,” Mitchell told Tony Jones on the fellow broadcaster’s What Makes You Tick? segment at the time.

“I said ‘You’re going to build it’ and he said ‘Yes’ and I said: ‘Well, why are you doing the bloody study then?

“And he got quite grumpy about that.

“He (Andrews) has told ministers, people I know, that it’s because I went after his wife (Catherine) after the (2013) car crash (that left 15-year-old Ryan Meuleman fighting for his life), and that’s just garbage.

“That didn’t happen. In fact, I sent the tape to a number of ministers and they said ‘Well, you didn’t say anything wrong,” Mitchell said.

According to Mitchell, “political judgement” was the main driver behind Mr Andrews’ bid to avoid his show.

But with a new host behind the microphone and a new team behind Ms Allan, she will take 3AW mornings out of the “freezer”, as Mitchell once put it.