‘If only they had listened’: Why Neil Mitchell is feeling vindicated today

A vindicated Neil Mitchell is demanding answers over who was responsible for Victoria’s error-plagued Fines Victoria system.

The 3AW Mornings host first shone a spotlight on the issue in January, 2018.

The auditor general released a damning report on Wednesday which uncovered “significant failures” within the system.

“If only they (government) had listened,” Neil Mitchell said on Thursday.

“We shouted, we were patted on the head, given spin and everybody was told – ‘Mitchell is just obsessed, he’s off his head’ – yeah, I was obsessed because it was damaging the lives of Victorians.

“You were obsessed, you kept telling me.

“And now I’m obsessed because it’s wasted a billion dollars and it’s still not fixed.

“It is still not fixed.

“Fines Victoria is an expensive mess that was allowed to fester and explode.”

Some $740 million in fines have been written off as “bad debt” but the government says it will pursue the money.

That doesn’t include the dollars being spent trying to fix the problems.

“It’s a one billion dollar black hole,” Neil Mitchell said.

“That’s money that could fix roads, get hospitals working, employee teachers – it’s a billion dollars wasted.”

He said one big question now needed to be answered (but he isn’t holding out hope).

“Who cost Victorians one billion dollars? Which minister wears it,” Neil Mitchell asked.

“Oh, I forgot, this is Victoria – you don’t ask questions, you don’t criticise, you don’t debate, you just put the Dan Andrews paper bag over your head and see nothing, ask nothing, think nothing, know nothing.

“You just cop the spin, and waste the money.”

Shadow Attorney-General Ed O’Donohoe said it had been a “disaster from day one”.

Press PLAY below to hear Neil’s passionate editorial