“Did it break you?”: Daniel Andrews braces himself before answering deeply personal question
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews took a long pause this morning before revealing how he personally coped in the last five months of hard lockdown and all the criticism he was faced with due to his response to the pandemic.
The moment came as he was being interviewed by Karl Stefanovic on the Today show, and was asked whether he struggled handling the health crisis that claimed 819 Victorian lives.
"Did it ever break you at any point, the pressure? Did it break you personally with your family?" Stefanovic asked.
Andrews steeled himself before answering.
"These are not easy jobs, and this is not an easy time," Andrews said.
"The challenge of leadership (is) to have a clear strategy and not to be distracted by the loudest voices, not to be run around the place by critics, but to have the courage of your convictions and get the job done.
"That is what we have done. We have built a precious thing, (but) this is not over," he said, before adding 25 days of zero cases is not equal to a vaccine.
Over the last five months, Andrews has dealt with an extreme amount of criticism as Melbourne plunged into a hard lockdown.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison admitted to clashing with the Victorian leader, stating they had disagreements over "difficult issues".
Stefanovic asked Andrews what it was like dealing with such pressure.
"On a personal note Dan, in the past months you have faced enormous criticism. How do you deal with that?" he asked.
Andrews said it is just part of his job.
"That's the job that I have. That's to lead the state; be responsible for the things that go well, and the things that don't," he said.
"I send my condolences and sympathies to every family who has lost someone.
"It is a wildly infectious and deadly virus. It is a global pandemic.
"There is no rule book for this but we have to push on, have a strategy and do the very best we can.
"That is what Victorians have done and what I have tried to do."
Victoria yesterday recorded its 25th day of no new COVID-19 cases or deaths.