- Dan Andrews’ wife is willing to hand over phone records
- Ms Andrews was driving an SUV when she struck the cyclist.
- The case is before the Supreme Court of Victoria.
- READ MORE: Tucker Carlson criticizes Dan Andrews
Former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews and his wife Catherine have backtracked on their opposition to handing over phone records from the day a cyclist was injured.
Ryan Meuleman is suing the law firm Slater & Gordon, alleging it failed to act in his best interests when negotiating an $80,000 settlement with the Transportation Accident Commission.
The cyclist, then a teenager, was injured when he collided with an SUV driven by Ms Andrews in January 2013.
The case returned to the Victorian Supreme Court on Monday as the Andrews were expected to challenge a subpoena for phone records relating to the collision.
But Associate Judge Melissa Daly was told a deal had been reached and the former prime minister and his wife would hand over records only from the day of the crash, January 11.
Mr Meuleman’s lawyer, James Catlin, said he expected the hearing to be “fiercely contested” but the Andrews had indicated they would no longer fight it by 8.05am.
“At 4pm yesterday they were still objecting, we only received correspondence at 8am today,” he said.
Mr Catlin said Andrews’ decision to hire senior journalist Philip Crutchfield KC sent a message that the subpoena hearing would be fiercely contested.
Former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has agreed to hand over phone records from the day his wife Catherine and a cyclist collided, just hours before a key court hearing.
Premier Daniel Andrews’ Ford Territory after the 2013 crash with Ryan Meuleman. Photo: provided
The court was told the subpoena was initially served in February requesting approximately 11 years of the Andrews’ phone records.
In the following months, this time frame was reduced, first to six months, then to one month, before Meuleman finally applied only for the day of the accident.
Representing the Andrewses, Sebastian Campbell told Associate Justice Daly that it was appropriate for his clients to initially refuse to hand over the requested documents, calling it “oppressive.”
The agreed documents must now be delivered to Mr Meuleman’s lawyers by 25 July.
Associate Justice Daly said it was “very clear” from the evidence that Monday’s hearing was unnecessary, and questioned why it took the Andrews two weeks to confirm they would consent to the revised subpoena.
He ordered the Andrews to pay Mr Meuleman’s legal costs relating to Monday’s hearing.
The judge said it was reasonable for the Andrews to initially oppose the subpoena and ordered Mr Meuleman to pay the costs incurred during negotiations until June 25.
Mr Meuleman spent 11 days in hospital after the accident and received compensation in 2016.
He now alleges that Slater and Gordon failed to conduct a full investigation into the circumstances of the crash.
Ryan Meuleman after his accident. The 15-year-old suffered serious injuries. Photo: provided
Meuleman’s father, Peter, hailed the progress as “a step in a long battle.”
Mr Meuleman alleges the car hit him in Blairgowrie on the Mornington Peninsula shortly after 1pm, while Mr Andrews has insisted his car was hit by the cyclist.
“The cyclist was going at full speed and collided with our car at a perfect right angle. I want to be clear: the cyclist collided with our vehicle,” he told police after the incident.
Outside court, Meuleman’s father, Peter, hailed the progress as “a step in a long battle.”
“It will be a long road for us, but we are ready for the fight and I want to thank everyone who has supported us and believed in us,” he said.
He said his family was trying to gather as much evidence as possible, believing the initial police investigation did not adequately examine the incident.
“This has taken its toll on Ryan and we are trying to protect him as much as we can… yes, it is an expensive trip and we will endure it as long as we can,” he said.
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