For those who missed part one of this triple own-goal, click this link to revisit the own-goal that was the tender.
In the first part we looked at the Myki Ticket System tender and some allegations about conduct during the process. Complaints like these are made a lot and if it was just that issue, this frankly wouldn't have any legs to continue but a couple of own-goals in rapid succession have left me shaking my head. If the Victorian Govt were a soccer team, right now, I'd be putting a lot of them on the transfer list. Many would get an undeserved second chance but these last two own goals that I'm looking at today are the fault of only one person...Daniel Andrews.
Own-Goal 2: The Transcripts Monday night saw the Australia-China Economic Co-Operation Forum held. There were around 300 people in the room and to the ordinary observer, this was just another forum where a few people made speeches, a lot of people rubbed shoulders networking and basically they all go away, nothing to see here.
This one however was different for a very important reason;
As part of the event, Chinese journalists were welcome to cover it but Australian journalists were banned. This event was held on AUSTRALIAN soil for goodness sake. Let's assume that the Chinese made the decision which wouldn't surprise...what gives them the right to ban Aussie journalists from covering an event that is the AUSTRALIA-China Economic Co-Operation Forum? That is absolutely farcical in the extreme and that in itself needs to be looked at.
Daniel Andrews spoke at that event. Apparently, he spoke for 30 minutes touching on business and the importance of cooperation (not that he knows what that phrase means) between Australia and China.
He was challenged on this at a press conference and I'm going to paraphrase what unfolded but this was extraordinary on two counts.
Media: You spoke at the Australia-China Economic Co-Operation Forum, correct? Andrews: Yes I did Media: Will you release the transcripts of what you said? Andrews: I don't believe I need to release any notes of what I said or anything of that sort Media: *let's move on* I'm sorry, what now? A democratically elected Premier by the people of Victoria doesn't need to release any notes or transcripts of what he said at an Australia-China joint event. Get stuffed he doesn't.
Considering the Chinese Communist Party CANNOT be trusted and he was at an event with some of them, he damn well needed to release that transcript and/or notes. That response made it look like he had something to hide.
Continuing on with the media exchange though Media: Who made the decision to ban Australian journalists from being in the room? Andrews: It wasn't me Media: If it wasn't you, who was it? Andrews: It wasn't my event, don't ask me. I'd be happy to have had Australian journalists in the room!
Um...really? This is the same Daniel Andrews who made a trip to China basically in secret banning Australian journalists from coming along. This is the same Andrews who released a summary of his daily events from that trip and couldn't be challenged because he banned journalists from coming on the trip.
He may fool some but if people can't see the hypocrisy of those two statements/decisions, then we have far bigger problems than we thought in this state.
To add to the bizarreness of this episode, Andrews then changed his story saying that he actually had no notes and that his speech was done 'off the cuff.' His office then subsequently released a 30-minute recording of his speech but the damage has already been done.
If he did the speech 'off the cuff' as he claims, why the hell didn't he just say that at the press conference on Tuesday? If there wasn't a transcript or recording at the time, why didn't he just say that his office would release something before the end of the week? That's called being honest and transparent.
Instead, he went down the path of "I don't have to answer to you or release anything" and once again, gives the impression that he has something to hide. It's a recurring theme of this government and frankly, it's NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Honesty doesn't hurt unless it makes you look bad but a little humility never goes astray. Honesty and humility are unfortunately something the Andrews govt lack in spades.
Verdict: This was a ridiculous own goal that could've easily been avoided if Andrews had understood what honesty and transparency actually were. Equally, there are questions about Andrews' relationship with China that needs to be addressed, not just regarding the trip in March, but also his speech at the Economic Co-Operation Forum. I confess I have tagged the AFP and ASIO in a couple of comments on tweets urging them to perhaps take a look. Social Media isn't effective for that I'm afraid. This whole episode though was just frankly stupid in every sense of the word.
Part 3 will be posted later and will take in "That Person" and a spectacular own goal which left me laughing.
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