More Twitter trouble for Daniel Andrews’ boffins

A senior Andrews government public servant tweeted in support of people attending Saturday’s Black Lives Matter protest.

Dr Bridie O'Donnell is the head of Victoria’s Office for Women in Sport and Recreation. Picture: Tony Gough

Victorian Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen has deleted her controversial Twitter account, as another senior Andrews government public servant tweeted in support of people attending Saturday’s Black Lives Matter protest, despite the Premier and Chief Health Officer telling Victorians they should not attend due to the COVID-19 transmission risk.

Victorian government Office for Women in Sport & Recreation director Bridie O'Donnell, who is also a medical doctor, tweeted on Saturday: “Today there were powerful, peaceful protests across AUS that shouted to the world that #AboriginalLivesMatter. The images are inspiring & sobering. I’m relieved that of thousands who attended, none were arrested & that many more made the decision not to attend but will #PayTheRent.

Dr O’Donnell also tweeted a photo of her nieces, who attended the protest in Brisbane, saying: “On a personal note, I’m damn proud of my nieces #blacklivesmatteraustralia #BlackLivesMatterBrisbane”.

The #PayTheRent campaign calls for residents of Victoria to commit at least one per cent of their income to a fund for indigenous Victorians as compensation for “living on stolen land”.

The organisation’s website states that the funds are administered by an “Aboriginal Sovereign Body that makes decisions about the allocation of Pay the Rent funds”, but it is not a registered charity.

In January indigenous former Greens MP Lidia Thorpe accused journalists asking questions about Pay The Rent’s governance of being “racist”.

In response to questions from The Australian, Dr O’Donnell said she had used her social media “to support the messaging and policies of the Chief Health Officer and my colleagues in the health department” since the outbreak of the pandemic.

“I am not supportive of those who attended the protest in Melbourne but understand why they did,” Dr O’Donnell said.

“I made the decision not to attend in compliance with the current restricted activity directions.

“As a medical doctor, the risk of COVID-19 transmission and the potential impact on our community is a real and important risk to consider.”

A spokeswoman for the Andrews government referred The Australian to Dr O’Donnell’s statement.

Dr O’Donnell’s tweet comes as The Australian can reveal that Dr van Diemen last week deleted her Twitter account.

Dr van Diemen’s Twitter account had remained online even after she was counselled last month by senior Health Department officials and investigated by Victoria’s Public Sector Commission over at tweet on the anniversary of Captain Cook’s landing, saying: “Sudden arrival of an invader from another land, decimating populations, creating terror. Forces the population to make enormous sacrifices & completely change how they live in order to survive. COVID-19 or Cook 1770?’’

On May 12, Liberal frontbencher Tim Smith wrote to Acting Victorian Public Sector Commissioner Julie Griffith asking that she extend her investigation beyond the Captain Cook tweet to include all of Dr van Diemen’s tweets since she became a public servant in March 2016.

Dr van Diemen’s tweets included attacks­ on Liberal politicians and praise for Labor politicians and clim­ate activist Greta Thunberg, as well as a retweet as recently as January referring to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his “dickhead MP mates”.

Asked whether Dr van Diemen had been asked to remove her Twitter account in response to Mr Smith’s letter, which has been acknowledged but is yet to receive a response, a spokeswoman for the Public Sector Commission said: “The Commission has no further comment at this time. The Acting Commissioner is responding to Mr Smith directly.”

A spokesman for the Health Department said: “DHHS will make no further comment as the issue was appropriately addressed some weeks ago.”

“The Deputy Chief Health Officer has performed her role exceptionally well and will continue to work hard to protect the health of the Victorian community,” the spokesman said.