'No politician will accept responsibility!' An exasperated Jeff Kennett unleashes on Daniel Andrews and the Victorian government for failing to take responsibility for the second wave that's killed more than 750
Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett has accused Daniel Andrews and his government of failing to take responsibility for the state's second wave of COVID-19.
Victoria's hotel quarantine inquiry revealed the current premier's right-hand man Chris Eccles 'can't recall' who ordered security guards to stand at the entrance to hotels for returned travellers.
Mr Kennett exploded during an appearance on Tuesday's Today Show where he described the revelations as 'extraordinary'.
'We are in this strange position here in Victoria where no-one knows anything,' he said.
'No politician will accept responsibility. It is the most extraordinary situation and bear in mind, the failure at those quarantine hotels led to the second wave here which to date has taken over 750 lives.'
Two woman wearing facemasks carry their shopping during lockdown in Melbourne
Nearly two thirds of Victorians believe Premier Daniel Andrews has handled the coronavirus crisis well
Mr Andrews is due to give evidence during the inquiry on Friday but Mr Kennett assumed he will also claim to 'not know anything'.
'No-one knows. This has just happened. I'm surprised anyone knows we have got coronavirus down here,' Mr Kennett said.
'No politician has accepted any responsibility for any act that has occurred.'
Despite the negative criticism nearly two thirds of Victorians believe Premier Andrews has handled the coronavirus crisis well.
Some 62 per cent said they were satisfied with his performance even though the virus escaped from hotel quarantine in late May and caused a deadly second wave.
Mr Kennett said he wasn't surprised by the results, saying people under stress will 'look to their leaders to actually be able to guide them to a safe place'.
He said: 'We are being guided because the government has failed and I've always said that the aftermath of the coronavirus is going to be a lot more serious than, in fact, the coronavirus itself.'
Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett has attacked Daniel Andrews and the Victorian government for failing to take responsibility for the state's deadly second wave of COVID-19
Mr Kennett exploded during an appearance on Tuesday's Today Show where he described the revelations as 'extraordinary'
The Newspoll for The Australian also found that 61 per cent of Victorians thought the state's lockdown restrictions were 'about right'.
A quarter of people said they were too strict and 10 per cent said they were too lenient.
Asked how Mr Andrews was handling his job, 62 per cent of voters were satisfied and 35 per cent were dissatisfied for a net satisfaction score of 27 per cent.
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The September net score was up from 20 per cent in July when the state's second wave of infections began to emerge. In April, it was 58 per cent.
Mr Andrews has been under constant criticism since he plunged Victoria back into lockdown on 8 July. The state's second wave has caused 750 deaths, mostly in aged care homes.
It began when hotel security guards and staff failed to adhere to social distancing requirements, caught the virus and spread it around Melbourne.
The Andrews government has been criticised for using private security guards instead of soldiers and police to run the quarantine scheme.
The Newspoll also found Queenslanders back Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's handling of Covid-19, with 68 per cent saying she is doing a good job, although this was drop from 81 per cent in July.
Voters in both states endorsed Prime Minister Scott Morrison's handling of the pandemic, with 77 per cent in Queensland and 71 per cent in Victoria saying he did 'well'.
Mr Andrews encouraged anyone with a scratchy throat, runny nose or headache to get tested for the virus. Pictured: Melbourne residents on Saturday
On restrictions, 39 per cent of voters around the country are now more concerned about harm to the economy and mental wellbeing than the risk of higher infection, compared to 20 per cent who held that view in July.
But 56 per cent remain concerned that moves to ease restrictions were too quick, risking the virus spreading further.
On Queensland's hard border closures, 53 per cent of voters across the country say the level of restrictions is about right while 37 per cent say they should be relaxed.
The Newspoll of 2,068 voters nationally was conducted between September 16 and 19.
Victoria recorded 28 new cases on Tuesday, a jump from 11 on Monday - the lowest figure in three months.
Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said Melburnians can't afford to wait until October 26 when more onerous rules such as the 9pm-5am curfew are due to be repealed.
'These numbers dictate a faster, safer reopening,' Mr O'Brien said.
'The epidemiologists back it, the modelling backs it. Daniel Andrews needs to start listening to the experts and stop being a one-man show.'
Opposition MPs want restrictions relaxed faster as the lockdown threatens to put up to 400,000 Victorians out of work by Christmas. Pictured: A Melbourne park on Saturday