Daniel Andrews’ office rejects Andrew Bogut’s extraordinary TikTok claims

Aussie basketball icon Andrew Bogut has aired extraordinary claims about Daniel Andrews’ office that have been rejected outright.

Outspoken former Australian basketballer Andrew Bogut has aired claims suggesting the Victorian Government is trying to silence him — claims that Premier Daniel Andrews’ office rejects outright.

Bogut has been a vocal critic of the Andrews Government’s decisions during the pandemic and has spoken openly against lockdowns and vaccine mandates.

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He recently questioned why more Australian celebrities — including fellow athletes — weren’t blowing up about being kept in their homes as Victoria dealt with new waves of coronavirus cases.

But the former first overall pick in the NBA draft took things further on radio this week.

Speaking with the Triple M Breakfast show with MG, Jess and Pagey on Wednesday, Bogut accused the Victorian Government of “trying to pay TikTok influencers to do some hit pieces” on him.

The Victorian Government has outright rejected Andrew Bogut’s most recent claim. Picture: Adam Yip

Bogut had been asked about whether he ever considered walking away from social media and his 408,000 followers on Twitter because there’s “always blowback” to his comments.

He said he had received “every threat under the sun” for speaking out against the Victorian Government.

Then this: “Yesterday, I found out some cracking news that the Victorian Government was trying to pay people late last year, TikTok influencers, to do some hit pieces on old Boges,” he said.

“Confirmed yesterday. That actually kind of lit a fire under me to keep going. It is what it is.”

The Triple M team did not challenge Bogut’s claims and the Victorian Government has not provided any evidence to back them up.

News.com.au approached the Premier’s office for comment and a spokesperson said the claims were untrue.

“These are wildly false claims, with no basis in fact or evidence to support them.”

In August last year, as thousands of Victorians marched in defiance of the Andrews Government’s rules that included mandatory vaccinations for essential workers, Bogut posted a video to Instagram.

He said it was time that others in privileged positions like his began to speak up about what he believes is the wrong thing.

Andrew Bogut claimed the Andrews Government had tried to pay TikTok influencers to “do hit pieces” on him. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

“This isn’t a left vs right and you people that are on team politics, either side, left or right, you’re missing the point,” Bogut said. “You’re being divided, you’re being tallied up against each other, right.

“But you athletes and you influencers that have all these sponsors and marketers behind you pushing promos to the plebs that buy your s**t, where’s your voice? Why aren’t any of you speaking up?

“The very people that buy your f***ing deodorants and your moisturisers and your candles and your Nike shoes, whatever it is — the very people that buy that are the ones that are most affected by this s**t.

“Imagine being told you’re not essential to go to work and make money for your family.

“The people that are labourers and out in the public and in the workforce and out on the road all day, they’re deemed not essential? Nah, I’m not rolling.”

Bogut said it was unfair someone like himself was allowed to work while commentating the Olympics for Channel 7, while others who need to make money for their family and earn a living didn’t have the same opportunity.

He continued his stunning spray, saying the “silence is deafening” from people in privileged positions, before making more allegations.

“When we have people that have a following, that have thousands upon hundreds of thousands upon some millions of people that follow their every word, that respect what they say for whatever reason … whether you’re an actor, an actress, a sports star, an influencer from getting a nice boob job and looking good, I don’t care. Whoever you are, why don’t we hear you speaking up?” Bogut said.

“The silence is deafening. Let me give you the reason why.

Bogut wanted other athletes and celebrities to speak up against lockdowns and vaccine mandates. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“Last year about three or four months into this pandemic, I got a message from somebody. I’m not going to name who it was or where it came from. I got offered money to put out a public service announcement, for you everyday plebs to stay home. It would have been something like this: ‘Hi I’m Andrew Bogut … it’s your duty to stay home. Do the right thing for the community’.

“‘You stay home, do the right thing for the community, we are all in this together’. I refuse to do that s**t.

“Put two and two together. Why do you think a lot of these people haven’t put these messages out? Why do you think people put contra messages out saying, ‘Do the right thing. Don’t do this, don’t do that. You’ve got to stay home. You’re not essential, I am’.

“They’re getting paid for that s**t for the most part.”

The basketball icon then alleged athletes in Australian leagues had “been muzzled” from criticising state and federal governments’ approaches to dealing with the pandemic.

“Athletes on contract in our biggest leagues in Australia … they’ve been told you are not to make anti-lockdown, anti-government statements on social media, period, no matter how drastic they are, because it affects our league staying open and you getting a salary,” Bogut said.

“That’s why these people aren’t batting for you.”

Bogut did not provide details of any specific examples.

— with James Matthey