Premier Daniel Andrews will take a long-awaited break from addressing Victorians on coronavirus when he finally takes a day off on Saturday.
After 120 days of stepping up to the microphone in the Treasury theatre to announce the daily coronavirus information, Mr Andrews will hand the reins to Health Minister Martin Foley on Saturday.
“I will not see you tomorrow,” Mr Andrews announced at the end of Friday’s hour-long press conference.
“The Minister for Health will conduct the daily briefing and I’m sure you’re all very pleased to hear that news.”
It was July 3 when the Premier first took to the Treasury theatre stage 120 days ago.
Victoria had just recorded 66 new coronavirus infections and Mr Andrews was on the cusp of announcing local lockdowns for 10 Melbourne postcodes.
That would later become the entire city and state, resulting in a gruelling 112-day lockdown that Melburnians are only just emerging from.
“This is the 17th consecutive day of double-digit case growth in Victoria, with a continuing and concerning number of new cases associated with transmission in households and families,” the Department of Health and Services media release ominously said that day.
Also in the media statement on July 3 were the details of three cases linked to the Stamford Plaza outbreak.
“Two close contacts of a known case and one contracted security guard member who was already in quarantine – bringing the total to 35,” it said.
Hotel quarantine has since been credited with sparking Victoria’s deadly second wave and an inquiry into the program is expected to be handed down in December.
It also cost former Health Minister Jenny Mikakos her political career and prompted Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Chris Eccles to resign.
Saturday will be the new Health Minister’s first time addressing the media regarding coronavirus without the Premier by his side.
Mr Foley took over the portfolio when Jenny Mikakos resigned late last month.
It will remain to be seen whether he adopts the same tactic as the Premier, who often stays at the microphone for up to 1.5 hours to field every question from waiting journalists.
He has also sparred with reporters over hotel quarantine, contact tracing and lockdown restrictions, and his battles with Sky News host Peta Credlin have been particularly heated.
Mr Andrews did not say when he would be back but it is expected to be Sunday.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiqAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9maW5hbmNlL3dvcmsvbGVhZGVycy9wcmVtaWVyLWRhbi1hbmRyZXdzLXRvLXRha2UtYS1kYXktb2ZmLWZyb20tYWRkcmVzc2luZy12aWN0b3JpYW5zLW9uLWNvcm9uYXZpcnVzL25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvYmFjZWE3ZTNmYzc3YzJkNWQ5MDMwZGQ4MWMzMGNiNjDSAagBaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAubmV3cy5jb20uYXUvZmluYW5jZS93b3JrL2xlYWRlcnMvcHJlbWllci1kYW4tYW5kcmV3cy10by10YWtlLWEtZGF5LW9mZi1mcm9tLWFkZHJlc3NpbmctdmljdG9yaWFucy1vbi1jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy9uZXdzLXN0b3J5L2JhY2VhN2UzZmM3N2MyZDVkOTAzMGRkODFjMzBjYjYw?oc=5
2020-10-30 01:02:11Z
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