“Sit down you sook!” Dan Andrews accused of bullying
During a heated question time on Wednesday, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was accused of being a bully by a fellow politician.
State Liberal MP for Warrandyte Ryan Smith chimed into debate early, telling the Speaker he was “tired of the bullying we get from the Premier”.
Mr Andrews snapped back: “Sit down, you sook.”
Mr Smith however continued his attack on the Andrews government, and challenged Health Minister Martin Foley on surgical wait times.
The politician references one of his constituents, Marcus, who is having difficulty getting on a wait list.
State Liberal MP Ryan Smith accused the Victorian Premier of bullying
Mr Smith asked Mr Foley if he would provide parliament with an “undertaking” that his department was working on slashing wait times.
He then went on to question exactly how many Victorians were waiting to see a specialist before they were put on a surgical wait list.
Mr Foley did not fold and accused Mr Smith of personalising “the tragic circumstances of one of his constituents”.
Opposition leader Michael O’Brien said Mr Foley was “seeking to censor” the ability of members to raise cases of their constituents.
He added that the tactic was “contrary to the practice of question time”.
Mr Foley said the coronavirus pandemic had caused a number of deferrals on important surgery arrangements.
Health Minister Martin Foley
“That is why the government has invested over $300 million in the forward projections – starting now – to work on a blitz to make sure that those important issues of deferred care are dealt with as expeditiously as possible,” he said.
“I give the honourable member an undertaking and all honourable members an undertaking that that is a priority that this government is serious about.”
Mr Foley concluded that the government is “committed to reducing those surgical waiting times”.