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Dan Andrews slammed over COVID-19 handling and calls raised for Scott Morrison to step in
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is under pressure to let the federal government tackle the state’s out-of-control coronavirus crisis after making a series of errors that worsened the state’s killer second wave.
Liberal MP Tim Smith told radio station 2GB the move is necessary to save Victoria from ‘catastrophe’ after the state suffered a record 723 new COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths on Thursday, followed by 627 more cases today.
‘We need a federal intervention and we need it now because Victoria is on the brink of a catastrophe,’ Smith said.
‘I’m calling on Daniel Andrews to refer his power over this emergency to Canberra because no one’s got any confidence in this bloke anymore to be able to manage this crisis.’
Mr Andrews has come under heavy fire for his approach to COVID-19 since the state’s outbreak began earlier this year.
The first lockdown was branded too strict and ‘draconian’ while his hotel quarantine program was regarded as a disaster as private security guards allegedly breached a number of protocols.
His exemption for a Black Lives Matter protest during lockdown in June was also considered a double-standard and his decision to suspend elective surgeries for the sake of elderly residents has been regarded as too slow.
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews faces mounting pressure to let federal authorities take over management of the state’s killer coronavirus crisis
Mr Andrews was urged last week by Australia’s top health official to suspend elective surgeries so hospital beds could be freed up for elderly residents – but waited days to act (pictured, a resident of Epping Gardens aged care facility is taken away to an ambulance)
Mr Andrews’ first lockdown in Victoria was branded too strict and ‘draconian’ as other states were quicker to reopen venues and cafes despite having a higher number of COVID-19 cases at the time (pictured, a closed Melbourne restaurant during the second lockdown in early July)
Andrews’ exemption for a Black Lives Matter protest on June 6 (pictured) was considered a double standard as Victoria continued enforce lockdown restrictions
The premier’s hotel quarantine program has been branded a disaster after it emerged private security guards breached infection protocols by mingling with guests and failing to use personal protective equipment properly (pictured, overseas travellers arrive at a Melbourne hotel in March)
Mr Andrews was urged last week by Australia’s top health official to suspend elective surgeries so hospital beds could be freed up for elderly residents – but waited days to act.
Professor Brendan Murphy advised the premier to stop the surgeries before last Friday’s cabinet meeting, reportedly under the expectation elective surgeries would be cancelled over the weekend.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison then told Mr Andrews to make the same call on both Monday and Tuesday before he finally made the announcement later that day.
‘I’ve spoken with the Prime Minister. Ministers have been speaking. Officials have been speaking. It was a very long night, but this is a critical challenge,’ Mr Andrews said.
‘I won’t stand here also and say, ”oh well, this is just a Commonwealth Government matter”.
‘We don’t run this sector but the residents in these homes are all Victorians. The Commonwealth Government has asked for help and that is exactly what my Government and our agencies will provide to them.’
Smith called out Mr Andrews for not acting on the advice much sooner.
‘Brendan Murphy, who’s done a wonderful job for the whole country, he warned Andrews, he told him: ‘Clear out the hospitals, cancel elective surgery, you’re going to need some space, you’re going to need some room, it’s going to get into the nursing homes if you don’t act’.
‘What did Andrews do? Nothing.’
Mr Andrews said 10 of the 13 deaths were aged care residents. There are 913 active cases in aged care facilities while a fifth of aged care homes in the state have been affected by the virus.
Professor Brendan Murphy advised the state premier to stop elective surgeries before last Friday’s cabinet meeting, reportedly under the expectation elective surgeries would be cancelled over the weekend (pictured, workers dressed in PPE pull clinical waste bins at the Epping Gardens Aged Care Home)
Mr Andrews was also on Tuesday criticised by Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt after the premier said he would not want his own mother to be in some of Victoria’s coronavirus-ridden private aged care homes (pictured, military staff monitoring the Epping Gardens Aged Care Home)
Mr Andrews was also on Tuesday criticised by Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt after the premier said he would not want his own mother to be in some of Victoria’s coronavirus-ridden private aged care homes.
‘Some of the stories we have seen are unacceptable and I wouldn’t want my mum in some of those places,’ Mr Andrews said, referring to reports that some residents have been left lying in soiled sheets and without enough food.
An emotional Mr Hunt told reporters his father lived in a nursing home and said he could not imagine his family and father receiving better care.
‘My father lived in one, and we knew that that meant he was in the latest stages of his life,’ he said.
‘The idea that our carers, that our nurses, are not providing that care, I think, is a dangerous statement to make. They are wonderful human beings and I won’t hear a word against them.’
Military staff monitor a Melbourne aged care facility as it grapples with an outbreak of COVID-19
Cleaners carry out a deep clean at the Epping Gardens Aged Care Home
Mr Andrews was criticised for his tough restrictions during the first lockdown earlier this year (pictured, a masked Melbournian walks the empty alleyway during the second lockdown in Melbourne)
Earlier this year Mr Andrews was also dragged over the coals for his tough lockdown measures during the first wave of COVID-19, which earned him the title ‘Chairman Dan’.
While states like New South Wales and Queensland had students return to the classroom full time by May 25, Victorian schools did not resume at full tilt until June 9.
The state was also slower to reopen cafes and venues despite having half the number of COVID-19 cases to neighbouring state NSW in June.
New South Wales, with more than 3,000 COVID-19 cases, allowed up to 50 patrons and up to 500 in one indoor venue.
Victoria, at the time, had a little over 1,000 COVID-19 cases, though limited the cap to 20 patrons.
Mr Smith had criticised the harsh lockdowns for damaging the state economy.
‘Daniel Andrews is sabotaging cafes and restaurants in Victoria.
‘Andrews has never had a job in the private sector, he doesn’t have a clue about small business.’
Some health professionals also admitted that going so hard the first time around made people begrudge lockdown, meaning it was ‘incredibly hard’ to enforce again.
Cafes and restaurants were slower to reopen in Victoria during the first lockdown (pictured, two masked people sit on a bench as Melbourne trudges through its second lockdown)
Liberal MP Tim Smith criticised Mr Andrews during the first lockdown saying the restrictions were damaging the state economy (pictured, masked residents walk the empty streets in Melbourne during second lockdown)
Mrs Andrews continued his run of receiving criticism after a Black Lives Matter was allowed to go ahead on June 6 (pictured)
‘It’s much harder to bring people with you the second time,’ said Doherty Institute epidemiology director Professor Jodie McVernon.
Mrs Andrews continued his run of receiving criticism after a Black Lives Matter was allowed to go ahead on June 6.
Instead of trying to suspend the protest, Mr Andrews ‘suggested’ to Victorians that they should not go.
Six protesters tested positive after the rally but the true impact cannot be measured because, as federal health minister Greg Hunt pointed out, the rally may have discouraged thousands of other people from following social distancing rules in their day-to-day lives.
‘Once the protests occurred, there were some who saw what appeared to be an understandable view of a double standard, and changed their behaviours,’ Mr Hunt told Nine’s Today show.
Criticism continued to follow Mr Andrews after it was revealed private security guards allegedly breached a number of infection protocols at hotel quarantine.
Since March, Victoria has quarantined more than 18,000 travellers returning from overseas but, unlike other state leaders, Mr Andrews chose to enforce the quarantine with private security guards instead of the police and defence force.
Instead of trying to suspend the protest (pictured), Mr Andrews ‘suggested’ to Victorians that they should not go
Criticism continued to follow Mr Andrews after it was revealed private security guards allegedly breached a number of infection protocols at hotel quarantine
It has since emerged that security guards breached infection protocols by mingling with guests and failing to use personal protective equipment properly.
Insiders have also alleged that some guards fell asleep on the job, shook hands and even slept with hotel guests.
Premier Andrews said the guards shared cigarette lighters and even made journeys in the same cars while Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said that several guards breached social distancing rules.
‘There’s been closer mingling of these guards than we would like in the workplace,’ she said.
There are also allegations of under-trained staff, inadequate personal protective equipment, billing rorts by private security contractors and even claims that some hotel guards slept with guests.
Mr Andrews has since ordered a $3million judicial inquiry into the fiasco.
Source: Daily Mail Australia | News Colony
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