Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews refused to lift restrictions as expected yesterday because health authorities were still waiting for a high number of test results related to an outbreak in Melbourne's northern suburbs. Photo / File
A Victorian politician has unloaded on Daniel Andrews, describing Melbourne as a "hellhole" and the state government "despicable".
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is facing a storm of criticism over his decision not to lift the state's lockdown sooner.
Liberal MP Tim Wilson accused Andrews of breaking a "contract" with the people of Victoria
"Victorians have consistently done the right thing," Wilson said in an interview with 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham.
"It is despicable that the State government is blaming a northern suburbs family for their own systems failures. Daniel Andrews has broken the contract he had with Victorians. It should be honoured."
Wilson's criticism intensified, with the Victorian politician adding: "Melbourne is a hellhole. So many of my friends have left or are wanting to leave. Daniel Andrews has wrecked the joint."
Former health minister Jenny Mikakos also took swipe at Andrews over his controversial move to delay Melbourne's break from lockdown, saying Australia is "not the US".
The ousted minister took to Twitter late on Sunday night where she addressed her Labor colleagues, "Dear Red Team".
"1. Critical thinking is allowed. We're not the US," she tweeted.
"2. I was an architect of the Roadmap. Public health won out. It's worked.
"3. We've met the rolling average. There could be a new outbreak next week. You can't delay opening up forever."
Then in a dig to her Liberal rivals, Mikakos finished the tweet: "Dear Blue Team, refer to #2."
The state met the target of a rolling 14-day average below five on Sunday, with Melbourne's average at 4.6 and regional Victoria just 0.2.
But Andrews refused to lift restrictions as expected because health authorities were still waiting for a high number of test results related to the outbreak in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
Just moments after the Premier's announcement on Sunday, Mikakos again ripped into the government, saying "any delay was unnecessary".
"Vic has met the under 5 threshold which some thought was unachievable," she wrote.
"This was a very cautious target. 6/7 of new cases are related to a known outbreak so the risk is manageable.
"The set reopening is gradual & safe so any delay is unnecessary. It's paralysis in decision-making."
Mikakos quit as health minister last month after Andrews told the hotel quarantine inquiry she was "primarily responsible" for the bungled scheme, which caused the state's second wave of Covid-19.
While some restrictions were eased in regional Victoria, there was no joy for Melburnians with the Premier citing the "cautious pause" was due to an outbreak where many cases were still being investigated.
"I know it's very frustrating," he said.
"We'll keep people updated today, and tomorrow."
But on Sunday night in a statement the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed no new additional cases were linked to the northern metropolitan outbreak after more than 1,135 tests results were returned.
It has prompted new hope restrictions across Melbourne could be eased early this week.
DHHS testing commander Jeroen Weinmar then said on Monday morning health authorities had "a very good feeling" about controlling the cluster in Melbourne's northern suburbs – where there were 39 active cases across 11 households.
"I'm pleased to say we tested over 15,000 people in the northern suburbs over the last five or six days, 2,000 of those are yesterday, we are still going through the results this morning but right now we have no new cases," he told the Today Show.
"That's a strong position to be in as we make sure to continue to control the cluster."
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