M Foley, the Victorian Minister of Mental Health, will replace Jenny Mikakos, who announced on Saturday that she would step down from her portfolio and step down from Parliament
When asked whether Ms Mikakos had been given an ultimatum demanding her resignation, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews insisted the decision was his
« I did not speak to the minister before she resigned, and I have not spoken to her since, » he said
« She texted me… to let me know that a letter had been sent »
« She obviously thinks this is the proper course of action or she wouldn’t have taken it I’m not going to go through a list of different issues, many of which are yet to be established «
« No, I don’t want to I’m not running away from problems or challenges I have a very important job to do, which is to continue to reduce the number of these cases and then start the bigger recovery project that our state has ever seen
M Andrews has refused to engage in the process surrounding Ms Mikakos’ resignation and testimony during yesterday’s inquest, which some observers say left the former health minister with no other choice than to withdraw
« My colleagues – they know and understand who I am, what I am and my track record I don’t think it’s appropriate: I’ve never done this before and I’m not about to start talk to my colleagues via, with respect, all of you, ”he said
M Foley said he looks forward to « working with these professionals and communities to continue to bring down those infection rates, so that we can kickstart a COVID-normal reopening of Victoria and in so doing build the kind of health system that we would expect the Victorians to want to reduce these infection rates «
M Andrews declined to be shot over comment Ms Mikakos is responsible for the second wave of the pandemic
« As I have told you many times, an investigation is underway and I judged that I was not going to answer questions absolutely essential to the work of the investigation This is not appropriate «
The Prime Minister was asked if he had spoken with Ms Mikakos about her performance in the health portfolio
« I don’t think I had a lot of conversations with her and her colleagues over a very long period of time, I don’t think I needed to have such a conversation, » he replied
M Andrews was pressed to know if he turned down an offer of ADF support for the security of the hotel’s quarantine program
« I will not go into the details of the discussions at the National Cabinet, but I will tell you what I took away from this meeting, after being in this room, » he said
« There would be some sort, the exact nature of which I didn’t tell you, but there would be ADF support for New South Wales
« At the press conference shortly after, the Prime Minister made a more general offer and I admit that, and that is the beginning and the end »
« I think my track record in promoting women in our party and government is well known, and ultimately it will be up to the national executive to decide who takes that seat »
He said he was alongside Police Minister Lisa Neville and Employment Minister Martin Pakula, who were not consulted on the hotel quarantine, insisting they had his absolute confidence
The Prime Minister issued a cautiously optimistic note on Victoria’s progress in tackling the second wave of the coronavirus
« We’re not opening the doors tomorrow – the place isn’t open tomorrow – and I’ve tried to be clear about that
« But people can be optimistic and positive that those numbers are going down. Once you get them low, you can keep them low
Martin Foley, Jenny Mikakos, Mikakos, Minister of Health Jenny Mikakos, Minister of Health Martin Foley, Daniel Andrews press conference today, Daniel Andrews press conference
World News – AU – Martin Foley appointed Victoria’s new Minister of Health