Andrews blasts Morrison for ‘pandering’ to extremists

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has accused the Morrison government of ‘pandering’ to extremists.

Protesters march through the streets in Melbourne over COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Picture: Getty Images

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has accused the Morrison government of pandering to ­extremists in a sharp escalation of the row over vaccine mandates and pandemic powers with Canberra.

A war of words erupted last week between Scott Morrison and state premiers after the Prime Minister called for governments to relax restrictions for unvaccinated people once the 80 per cent double-dose coverage was reached and urged leaders to step back from people’s lives.

Mr Morrison also said he understood the frustration of protesters in Melbourne who had rallied against the state’s controversial proposed pandemic bill, but also condemned violent threats from the movement.

Mr Andrews on Sunday said the federal government was not entitled to pander to people who held extremist views.

“The government’s not entitled to double speak. The government’s not entitled to cuddle up to extremists. And some people have done that,” he said.

Some protesters rallying against the bill last weekend were seen carrying nooses and gallows and yelling threats about killing Mr Andrews.

Tens of thousands of Victorians attended a “freedom” rally on Saturday to again push back against vaccine mandates and the pandemic legislation.

Mr Andrews also took aim at the protesters who marched in the rally.

“I see people are protesting against lockdowns. There are no lockdowns because the community didn’t listen to anti-vaxxers,” he said.

Mr Andrews said millions of Victorians had worked towards the state’s new freedoms and ­accused Mr Morrison of being ­incapable of congratulating the state.

“I am offended on behalf of all Victorians,” he said.

“Why would anyone, let alone our national leader, take away from five million Victorians, the credit that belongs to them?”

Mr Andrews said it was vital that politicians unequivocally called out “appalling behaviour”.

“You’ve got to be straight with people, you’ve got to be absolutely direct,” he said.

Mr Andrews also revealed he had not spoken to Mr Morrison over the phone.

“He knows my views very, very clearly because I don’t double speak,” he said.

“When the Prime Minister stops double-speaking to extremists, his relationship with me will be a lot better.”

Federal Labor frontbencher Jim Chalmers also accused Mr Morrison of “dog whistling” and embracing violent views and threats.

“What the Prime Minister is trying to do is trying to divide us, trying to diminish that collective effort and undermine all of the good and all of the progress that Australians have made together,” he told the ABC.

“He does that with this dangerous dog-whistling doublespeak that we hear from him.

“He does it by claiming credit for high vaccination rates without taking responsibility for the measures that are necessary to get those rates up.”

But Employment Minister Stuart Robert – a close ally of Mr Morrison – defended the Prime Minister.

Mr Robert said the Coalition believed that once the 80 per cent double-dose vaccination milestone had been reached, governments needed to stop telling people how to live their lives.

“The Doherty modelling makes it clear and it’s locked in place with the national plan that at 80 per cent we want freedoms to open up,” he told Sky News.

“Businesses will always have the right to determine who comes into their venues.

“Let business determine their own risks and let’s get governments out of their lives.”