Liberals fight off calls to hit Premier Daniel Andrews ‘pile-on’ plan

Victorian Liberal Party president Robert Clark has backed the state opposition’s ‘constructive’ approach during the COVID-19 ­crisis.

Victorian Liberal Party president Robert Clark.

Victorian Liberal Party president Robert Clark has backed the state opposition’s “constructive” approach during the COVID-19 ­crisis, amid internal divisions over whether the party should pile extra pressure on the Andrews government over its bungles during the pandemic.

In a meeting of federal and state party presidents on Friday, Mr Clark praised Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien for not being overly political during in the state’s second wave of COVID-19.

Mr Clark told the teleconference meeting, which was attended by Scott Morrison, that Mr O’Brien was striking the right mix of holding the government to ­account while also pointing constructive ways out of the crisis.

Mr Clark’s comments at the meeting have incensed some state and federal Liberal MPs who believe the Victorian Liberal leader was not doing enough to attack Premier Daniel Andrews.

His comments were perceived within the party as a veiled criticism of state MP Tim Smith and federal frontbencher Michael Sukkar, who had openly criticised Mr Andrews.

“Daniel Andrews accused Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine of having blood on their hands and being responsible for the deaths of old people because of ambulance response times,” a Liberal source said. “This is the man Robert Clark wants the Victorian Liberals to be constructive with.”

Since the meeting between party presidents on Friday, Josh Frydenberg has upped his criticism of the Andrews government while the Prime Minister acknowledged the state’s restrictions had attracted “criticisms” and “confusion”.

A source said Mr Morrison told the meeting he would continue to be collaborative with the state premiers.

Mike Baird, former NSW Premier and current chief customer officer at NAB. Picture: Britta Campion

Liberal MPs said branch members had become critical of the state opposition because it was not doing enough to highlight mistakes by the Andrews government. “There is a growing view that we need to assert ourself and that is not being done,” one MP said.

Another Liberal source said calls for the Liberals to go more negative against Mr Andrews were “misguided”.

“The public’s prime desire at the moment is for the state to get out of the situation we are in and they want to see that solved,” a source said. “To be tearing strips off the government … is not what people are looking for and is not the constructive way to go.”

Former Liberal NSW premier Mike Baird in a statement at the weekend defended Mr Andrews. “Dan Andrews and I don’t agree about everything but I know he loves his state,” Mr Baird wrote. “It is not the time to second-guess or finger-point.

“When the dust settles, there will be time for reflection. And when mistakes are made, there will be accountability. But in the fog of this battle, I believe we should choose to stand in support of our leaders and offer our ­admiration, and our thanks.”