Neil Mitchell questions why Daniel Andrews didn’t sack Jenny Mikakos

Neil Mitchell says Premier Daniel Andrews’ appearance at the Hotel Quarantine Inquiry raises questions about why Jenny Mikakos, who stepped down at Health Minister on Saturday, was not sacked more than a week ago.

In a statement from September 16, Mr Andrews said Ms Mikakos and the Department of Health and Human Services were responsible for running the hotel quarantine system.

“At the start of the program, I regarded Minister Mikakos and Minister Pakula as responsible for informing cabinet about, and seeking cabinet’s endorsement of, the initial overall service model … I then regarded Minister Mikakos as accountable for the program,” the statement reads.

In light of the statement, Neil Mitchell says he doesn’t understand why Mr Andrews said he had “full confidence” in Ms Mikakos last Thursday.

“If he believed on September 16, which is when his statement was signed, she was responsible and accountable, why wait 11 days before she’s removed? Why wait for her to quit?,” the 3AW Mornings host said.

“How does he tell us on Thursday he’s got full confidence, whereas nine days earlier he’d sworn a statement effectively saying the opposite?

“At the very least he was doubting her competence.

“The pandemic is urgent. Every decision has to be fast and every action has to be fast, but it wasn’t.

“For days … he tolerated a minister in charge of the pandemic who he apparently thought was incompetent.”

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Image (background): Luis Ascui / Getty