Dan Andrews has dodged questions on Victoria’s deepening crime crisis.
Sky News National Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Lea bounced the former premier as part of the exclusive Sky News investigation ‘Out of Control: Victoria’s Crime Crisis’ in Melbourne as he pressed him on the crime catastrophe engulfing the state.
Lea asked the former premier if he had anything to say about the state government’s new legislative proposal about adult time for violent crime.
Mr Andrews, who was pictured recently saddled up next to the world’s dictators at a Chinese military parade in Beijing, said he had no comment because he was a “private citizen”.
“I’m a private citizen so I’ve got nothing to say at all,” Mr Andrews said.
“You’re also a former premier,” Lea retorted.
Mr Andrews said he would “leave it to the government”.
He was asked one final question, if Premier Jacinta Allan had spoken to him on the matter, but Mr Andrews instead wished Lea a “great day” before entering a building.
The Allan Labor government announced earlier in November it would implement adult jail sentences for children under the Adult Time for Violent Crime legislation in Victoria, with a bill to be introduced to parliament before the end of the year.
At the press conference where it was announced, both the Premier and Attorney General Sonya Kilkenny sidestepped questions from Lea.
“If you say you’re not going to waste time and time is of essence, why have you wasted three years to bring forward this legislation?” he asked Ms Kilkenny.
“Why has it taken so many homicides, so many home invasions and so many carjackings?”
Without explaining why the legislation had taken so long, Ms Kilkenny insisted the government was announcing a massive shake-up to the youth justice criminal system.
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The Premier refused to answer when asked if she would resign if the crime numbers did not come down.
She also repeatedly deflected questions asking if she had sought advice from Mr Andrews on the proposed legislation.
“On adult time for violent crime, those in Labor tell me that you regularly speak with Dan Andrews. Did you consult him on this legislative change?” Premier Allan was asked.
The Premier said the legislation came from listening to victims of crime.
“Adult time for violent crime comes as a result of listening to those victims of crime, listening to Victoria Police who are saying there needs to be new interventions for this new kind of crime and this is why adult time for violent crime will see the children who commit these crimes be treated as adults by the courts where jail will be more likely and sentences will be longer,” she said.
When Lea followed up, suggesting the Premier may have misunderstood the question, she replied: “No, I heard the question … I listened to victims of crime”.
“Is that a no or a yes? Did you speak to Dan Andrews about the change?” Lea asked again.
“I have the pleasure of speaking to a number of former premiers on a whole range of matters. That includes Labor and Liberal premiers,” the Premier responded
Lea interjected asking what Mr Andrews’ advice may have been but the Premier ignored the follow-up question and continued her response.
“And it comes from having the opportunity to engage with them on a whole range of matters but when it comes to introducing adult time for violent crime, it comes from listening to victims of crime and I have concluded my answer to your question.”
‘Out of Control: Victoria’s Crime Crisis’ is a new exclusive investigation available to stream online now. Watch it here.