The Victorian government has demanded an apology from the state opposition after a frontbencher implied Premier Daniel Andrews had misled the community about his serious spinal injury.
Key points:
- Treasurer Tim Pallas called statements by Shadow Treasurer Louise Staley "QAnon craziness"
- Ms Staley's intervention prompted Ambulance Victoria to release information about Mr Andrews's initial treatment
- Senior Victorian Liberals have told the ABC the unfounded claims are a distraction that damages the party's credibility
The Premier has been on sick leave since early March, when he suffered several broken ribs and damage to his vertebrae after slipping on wet stairs at a Mornington Peninsula holiday home.
He narrowly avoided permanent damage to his spine.
After being released from hospital, Mr Andrews has remained largely out of the public eye while he recovers, barring a small number of social media posts.
Discredited and unfounded conspiracy theories about Mr Andrews's injury emerged online, with no evidence to support them.
Shadow Treasurer Louise Staley yesterday released a statement demanding Mr Andrews answer a list of questions about how he injured his spine.
Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien backed the calls this morning, saying it was "OK to ask questions".
"There’s no reason to suspect that everything that has been said isn’t true. I think it is true, but it's not necessarily the whole story," he said.
Treasurer Tim Pallas called Ms Staley's statements "nonsense" and called for the Liberal Party to offer an apology.
Ms Staley denied she was fuelling conspiracy theories and said politicians gave up their right to privacy when they became public figures.
She said the pay of senior politicians should be dropped to a base MP salary if they took extended leave.
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Some Victorian Liberals have despaired at the latest tactics, especially at a time when the government is under pressure over the fourth lockdown.
Some Liberals have told the ABC privately that it is a "disaster" because it distracts from legitimate issues and damages their credibility at a time when the government is vulnerable.
Some MPs have also described Ms Staley's statement as an attempt to build her profile both in and out of the party because she had failed to have any cut-through as shadow treasurer despite the shape of the Victorian economy.
Ambulance Victoria releases details of Premier's call-out
Twitter: @DanielAndrewsMP
)Ambulance Victoria released a statement this morning in response to media queries about the Premier's injuries, saying they had received permission from Mr Andrews to release the details.
"Ambulance Victoria received a triple-0 call for an ambulance at 6.36am on Tuesday 9 March 2021 for a patient who had fallen on steps at a house in Sorrento," a spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the case did not require a life-threatening emergency response, so the call underwent secondary triage.
"This triage determined that the case was appropriate for ambulance response, and an ambulance was dispatched from the nearest ambulance branch in Sorrento under normal road conditions at 6.47am. The ambulance arrived at 7.01am," the spokesperson said.
"The patient was assessed by treating paramedics as having suspected fractured ribs, and pain relief was provided.
"The patient requested to attend a local hospital in order for the attending crew to remain within the area once cleared from the case."
The spokesperson said the Peninsula Private Hospital Emergency Department was determined to be "appropriate for further investigation and treatment of the patient based on presenting symptoms and condition".
Acting Premier James Merlino, who has been in the role since March, today called the Opposition's statements "a disgraceful act".
"We are dealing with a global pandemic for goodness sake. I treat it with the contempt that it deserves," he said.
"This is more about how the Liberal Party treat people. No decency, no respect. They should be ashamed of themselves."
Mr Merlino said he agreed with the Treasurer that the Opposition should apologise.
Mr Andrews is being assessed by his medical team this week, who will provide a timeline for when he may be able to return to the top job.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiaGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTA2LTA4L3ZpY3Rvcmlhbi1nb3Zlcm5tZW50LW1wcy1kZW1hbmQtYXBvbG9neS1mcm9tLW9wcG9zaXRpb24vMTAwMTk5MTEw0gEoaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEwMDE5OTExMA?oc=5
2021-06-08 07:15:10Z
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