Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ intently guarded journey to China has been slammed by Sky News hosts for its lack of transparency.
Peter Stefanovic and Laura Jayes, who co-present Sky News First Edition, made the feedback on Tuesday morning as Mr Andrews touched down in Beijing for the four-day journey.
No Australian media have been invited on the journey and can solely be told of the Premier’s actions by a every day replace.
“That’s not for him to decide and he should not get away with this at all,” Jayes stated.
“A free and open fair media is a central tenet to democracy.
“And when you are dealing with China and you are not taking media along … that is not good enough.”
Jayes stated the shortage of transparency was a “really concerning” twist in Mr Andrews’ relationship with the Victorian media.
“It’s an arrogance isn’t it?” Stefanovic stated.
“It’s more than that Pete, it’s really concerning and quite dangerous I reckon,” Jayes replied.
Mr Andrews appeared on Hong Kong channel Phoenix TV on Tuesday morning and instructed viewers the “Chinese story is absolutely central to the Victorian story”.
“You can’t imagine a modern Victoria without the Chinese influence,” Mr Andrews stated.
Mr Andrews stated that regardless of rigidity in recent times, the 2 nations’ relationship had the potential to develop once more.
“Good friends can disagree. True friends do not disrespect, though, and that’s always the approach that I’ve taken. You can have an honest dialogue but it needs to be a respectful dialogue,” he stated.
“We think the relationship and partnership with China is very, very important to Victoria, and very important to Australia as well.”
Mr Andrews is predicted to debate commerce and cultural ties and the return of Chinese college students to Victoria after pandemic-induced border closures.
It will mark the primary go to by a state chief because the pandemic started.
The Premier will even journey to Jiangsu and Sichuan to fulfill with key senior officers from Victoria’s sister states.
The journey might be Mr Andrews’ seventh to China since changing into premier, with earlier visits held in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and two in 2019.
During his final go to in October 2019, the Victorian Premier signed a framework settlement with China’s controversial Belt and Road initiative.
It was later made null and void by the Morrison authorities underneath new legal guidelines that allowed the Commonwealth to cancel offers between states and overseas powers.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
