Australia’s longest serving treasurer, Peter Costello, has declared Daniel Andrews’ Victorian government “the worst in Australia”.
Costello, federal treasurer to Liberal Prime Minister John Howard, gave a crowd of 700 at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in Sydney on Tuesday his assessment of the Andrews Labor government during Covid-19.
It was Costello’s first major public appearance since he was involved in an altercation with a journalist and then resigned as chairman of Nine in June.
He said the Andrews government had failed “every test of prudent budget management” and that Daniel Andrews had led the most incompetent government in the nation.
“What I cannot understand is why governments that fail to live up to their fundamental responsibilities should be allowed to expand their privileges,” he said.
“Australia’s most incompetent government comes to mind. After failing all tests of prudent budget management, the Victorian government decided to embark on treaty negotiations and joined China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative.
“These are federal issues… nothing more than rank posturing.”
Peter Costello told the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in Sydney that Daniel Andrews had led the most incompetent government he had seen. Image: NewsWire / David Geraghty
that Daniel Andrew’s government was “idiotic” for the restrictions it imposed on Victorians during the pandemic. Image: Sky News
The former treasurer told the crowd Andrew’s government was “foolish” for the restrictions it imposed on Victorians during the pandemic.
He said the Andrews government had closed playgrounds in Melbourne and chained swings and slides to prevent children from using them during Covid.
“Children weren’t dying from Covid and they wouldn’t die using swings or slides,” he said.
“This stupid government even decided to institute a (curfew)… you’re not going to catch Covid driving alone in your car after nine at night.”
Costello said it was terrifying and worrying how freely people gave up their rights during the pandemic.
“Our leaders have liked the control,” he said.
“We saw that freedoms could be taken away very easily.”
Andrews resigned as Victorian Premier in September 2023, after almost nine years in office.