Coronavirus Victoria: Question that left Premier Daniel Andrews flustered

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews was left visibly “flustered” after a journalist asked him a personal question during his press conference tonight.

It was a rather simple question but it seemed to leave the Victorian Premier hot under the collar.

At the end of today’s daily coronavirus press conference, Daniel Andrews was asked if he went out the night before the stage three restrictions returned, and the scene became somewhat awkward.

“Did you head out the night before the lockdown came in? What did you do to celebrate (your birthday)?,” the journalist asked.

“Last night? You mean?,” Andrews asked.

The reporter confirmed she was referring to last night.

“I was at home with my family,” he said.

But the reporter wasn’t done, asking: “All the time?”

“Yes. I was at home with my family,” he told her.

Appearing confused by the question, Mr Andrews added, “Sorry, you want to ask me about the night of my birthday? I was at home having a very nice family dinner.

“Let me indicate to you when that occurred, Alex. That occurred after I had done a two-and-a-half- hour cabinet meeting over Zoom and I think my plate might have been a bit cold but we’re all doing all sorts of things but I was pleased to be at home with my parents - sorry, with my wife and my kids. Happy? Fine? Very good.

“Are there any other questions? Now that I’ve got all flustered? No? Very good. I’m going home now to them as well. Thanks.”

And on that note the media conference ended.

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Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews became flustered when he was asked where he was the night before Melbourne was locked down. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

People following the event on social media said it was not the “gotcha” moment Alex had been hoping for.

One woman labelled the question disgusting.

“Disgusting question from ‘journalist’ Alex asking where @DanielAndrewsMP was on the night of his birthday,” she wrote on Twitter.

“He answered the question and then she had the audacity to ask if he was sure. This is a man who has had very little time with his family over the last 6 or 7 months.”

Dr Vyom Sharma said it was a s***ty question.

“Say what you want, but @DanielAndrewsMP is working very very hard I do not appreciate his ethic being imputed,” he wrote on Twitter.

There have been calls for Mr Andrews to resign amid claims the public have lost faith in his ability to lead following his state’s coronavirus crisis.

A second wave of infections has been linked to a catastrophic failure in Victoria’s mandatory hotel quarantine procedures, which his government was responsible for.