Daniel Andrews and Peta Credlin face Chris Eccles’ shock resignation

Credlin, a liberal insider and Sky News host, has berated Mr Andrews over the departure of Prime Minister and Cabinet Chris Eccles – the state government’s second high profile resignation in weeks after former Health Secretary Jenny Mikakos resigned.

Despite repeatedly telling the hotel quarantine request that he couldn’t remember whose decision it was to use private security, Mr Eccles revealed in the statement announcing his resignation that he called and with ex-Victoria Police Commissioner Graham Ashton Protocol spoke to him for “a little more than two”.

While Mr Eccles kept his phone records up, it in no way meant that he – or anyone else in the Prime Minister and Cabinet Department – was making the decision that private security should be used in hotel quarantine, Credlin asked if the admission meant Mr Andrews the investigation had proven misleading.

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The prime minister became increasingly frustrated as his back and forth with Credlin continued, telling her that she was not asking him a question and instead making “long statements”.

After confirming a number of details with Mr. Andrews, Credlin said, “Interestingly, if you read Eccles’ evidence carefully, en route to a place where he (Minister of Labor, Counties and Regions, Simon) will call Phemister He walked through the vestibule, spoke to your Chief of Staff and briefed her in detail on Mr Eccles’ evidence of the National Cabinet decision, which was not known to anyone in the public service, that an immediate hotel quarantine would be required for arriving passengers The only two people are so – and the National Cabinet was in full swing, it was your decision by Mr Eccles – he said to the Chief of Staff, who then told Mr Phemister. He has testified, as have Mr. Ashton, your chief of staff, and you. I understand phone records will come, but there is no evidence that entered the investigation from her and no testimony. ”

The prime minister confirmed that this is true.

“What she knew and what discussions she had about private security,” Credlin said.

“And your question is?” Mr. Andrews said.

Credlin replied: “While you were in the National Cabinet, did your Chief of Staff and your secretary, who left at 12 noon, have any private security discussions with anyone before the National Cabinet’s decision? was public knowledge? ”

“I’m not exactly sure, you just told me that she didn’t know until after the meeting was interrupted,” replied the prime minister.

“No, I’m not telling you,” said Credlin.

“You told me that,” put in Mr. Andrews.

“It was told by Mr Eccles and he said that in his evidence when he left the room at 12,” Credlin said.

“I am still unclear. You are free to make lengthy statements, but if you have a question, please ask me the question. I want to be as specific as possible. I need to know what I’m being asked and then I’ll be more than happy to answer you, ”said the Prime Minister.

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Credlin replied, “When Mr Eccles left the room at 12 noon, he informed your Chief of Staff that there had been a decision regarding the National Cabinet to maintain hotel quarantine for incoming passengers and then called Mr Phemister and just told him To consider hotel rooms and means of transport, and that is evidence of Mr. Phemister and Mr. Eccles.

“The only evidence we don’t have is your Chief of Staff, and somewhere between that time and that call from Mr. Eccles at 1:17 pm to Mr. Ashton, who gave him solace that private security is being used. Sometime between noon and 1:17 p.m., your chief of staff was informed that the National Cabinet decision was being made and that they were going to work in the Victorian civil service, and I was even housed in your private office checking private security arrangements. ”

After finally getting to the bottom of Credlin’s question, Andrews said that “who would perform functions within the hotel quarantine program are operational decisions, not decisions made by me or any member of my private office staff were hit. So this is the first answer ”.

“In addition, it is entirely up to the committee who is called and who has not been called, who is required or asked to provide information or details to the committee of inquiry,” he said.

“All of the evidence cited comes from inquiries from the board or from 300,000 pages of documents. Here, too, they came from inquiries. The last request from the board was phone recordings. They are provided in full compliance with the terms of the request.

“But when it comes to the broader problem, or claiming that someone in my private office would make such operational decisions, that’s just not true.”

It’s not the first time Credlin has ambushed Mr Andrews during his daily press conference – last Friday she informed him about why critical phone records weren’t turned over to the hotel’s quarantine request.

– mit NCA NewsWire