Neil Mitchell grills rogue Victorian Liberal MP over Sydney radio rant

Neil Mitchell has grilled a Victorian Liberal MP over his controversial Sydney radio rant this morning.

In an interview airing on 2GB, Member for Kew, Tim Smith, said Daniel Andrews “has blood on his hands” and called for his resignation.

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was quick to distance himself from Mr Smith’s comments, telling Neil Mitchell all Victorians, including the Liberal MP, need to “put aside their anger and their disappointment”.

In a heated interview, Neil Mitchell questioned whether Mr Smith’s comments are helpful while the state is in the middle of a coronavirus battle.

“Is now the time to be doing this?,” the 3AW Mornings host asked.

“We can’t suspend democracy, accountability and the basics of a free society just because we’re dealing with a global pandemic,” Mr Smith replied.

Mr Smith doubled down on his comments, saying it is “absolutely” fair to say Daniel Andrews “has blood on his hands” and is guilty of criminal negligence for the hotel quarantine fiasco.

He said “any reasonable person” would be able to foresee that using private security guards for hotel quarantine “could go horribly wrong”.

Neil Mitchell: The exact quote from the law, for criminal negligence is “requires a considerable degree of recklessness and disregard of consequences”. Would you seriously believe the Premier had no regard for the consequences?

Tim Smith: Absolutely.

Neil Mitchell: What, do you think he didn’t care if people died? It was incompetence!

Tim Smith: I think it’s negligence, I think it’s utter negligence. I think if he was a CEO of a private company in the state of Victoria he’d be in a lot of trouble.

Press PLAY below for the heated interview.

Josh Frydenberg distances himself from rogue Victorian Liberal MP