Victorian election 2018: Premier slammed for joining terror press conference
Daniel Andrews has been slammed by the opposition for making “political mileage” out of today’s terror raids, joining a press conference while the government is in caretaker mode.
Victoria State Election
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Premier Daniel Andrews has been slammed for joining a police press conference on this morning’s terror raids while the government is in caretaker mode just days out from the election.
A notice was issued by Victoria Police’s media unit at about 8.20am alerting the media that Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton and Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney would deliver a press conference at 9am.
But the alert was updated at about 8.40am to notify media that Mr Andrews would be holding the conference with Mr Ashton.
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Opposition police spokesman Edward O’Donohue has hit out at the premier, saying: “The only motivation that Daniel Andrews had to be at this morning’s press conference was to make political mileage out of a very serious operational police matter.
“By demanding that he be present, he risks politicising Victoria Police and shows that there is no convention he will not trash and no line that he will not cross if he thinks that it is in his political interest.
“Daniel Andrews is not fit to be the Premier of Victoria and it is time to kick him out.”
A Department of Premier and Cabinet spokespersons said caretaker conventions did not “stipulate that representatives for non-government parties should be present at media conferences on issues relating to the ongoing business of government”.
“Caretaker conventions are designed to ensure that the government does not take action during the caretaker period that will bind an incoming government or limit its freedom of action,” the spokesperson said.
“It is appropriate for the Premier to appear with representatives from government agencies where applicable to brief the public about factual material relating to the day-to-day working of government.”
The spokesperson said there were provisions in the conventions for non-government parties to be briefed on request about existing or current issues as they arose.
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