Peta Credlin’s Sky News documentary exposes cult of Daniel Andrews

A Sky News documentary probes the rise of the Victorian Premier, and why he is on track to be re-elected despite a prominent broadcaster claiming he’s ‘never seen a worse government’.

Sky News Australia presenter Peta Credlin said when it was first revealed she was compiling a documentary on Daniel Andrews she received many calls from disgruntled Labor figures willing to speak up about their dealings with the Victorian premier.

“I had a number of Labor people contact me who wanted to explain what had happened to them, some are current MPs and some are current staff, while others are former people,” she said.

“One particular person who contacted me was a former Minister in the Labor government and I interviewed her, she’s pretty frank about how Andrews behaves behind closed doors.”

Credlin, a former chief of staff to Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott, said the one-hour documentary delves into the comprehensive stranglehold Andrews has on Victoria that has seen his power spread throughout the state’s key institutions and is something that is seen nowhere else in Australia.

“There’s not enough scrutiny of the government, there’s not enough integrity inside the government and there is concern about the appointments to the public service and institutions,” Credlin said.

There is not enough scrutiny of the Andrews government, Peta Credlin says. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

“In Victoria when those organisations are stacked full of the premier’s mates they can’t do their job by the very fact of who these appointments are, Victoria Police and WorkSafe Victoria are two good examples.”

Andrews is facing four, possibly five, independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission investigations but despite this the Labor leader, according to the polls, is on track to be re-elected for a third term at the state’s November 26 election.

Credlin said what prompted her to compile the documentary – which includes interviews with prominent insides and revelations from whistleblowers – was being repeatedly asked the same question about Victoria, given the state went through six lockdowns during the pandemic and Melbourne was the most locked down city in the world.

“I knew I wanted to do a documentary about Victoria because one of the things that I get asked wherever I am in Australia is given what Victoria went through (during the pandemic), how can the polls be right that they would re-elect this premier and this government,” Credlin said.

Among those to feature in the special investigation includes the former chief commissioner of Victoria Police Kel Glare, former federal Labor MP Michael Danby, and United Firefighters Union Victorian branch secretary Peter Marshall.

3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell – who has been denied an interview with the premier for about six years – told Credlin: “I’ve never seen a worse government, I don’t reckon in 50 years of journalism, haven’t seen a worse government”.

3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell says he’s ‘never seen a worse government’.

Credlin is also critical of the Victorian media and said too often the Premier escaped serious scrutiny and had the ability to bypass the press gallery with ease. “They’ll ask one question, maybe a follow up question but they don’t pursue an issue,” she said.

The Cult of Daniel Andrews: A Peta Credlin Investigation airs on Wednesday at 7.30pm AEDT.