‘It nearly crushed me’: Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton resigns

Speaking about his departure, Sutton revealed the toll the pandemic took on him.

“I accept that in a crisis that has to sit on your shoulders, there’s no escaping that,” he mentioned.

“I was in the midst of that beast for a long time.

“On the one hand, it is helped me to develop personally and professionally. On the opposite hand, it practically crushed me, and it definitely weighed upon my household life. I hope they by no means have to hold that once more.”

Sutton said the level of vitriol directed his way contributed to that pressure.

“It was the 16-hour days, sprinting for six months with no time without work,” he said.

“Throw within the vitriol and the dying threats and the intrusions and the form of barrage of lies that you simply see, particularly on social media. Accountability is acceptable, however the BS that’s typically spouted out there’s fairly extraordinary typically.”

Sutton will be the new Director of Health and Biosecurity for the CSIRO.

Sutton joined the Department of Health in 2011 and helped develop Victoria’s public health response team.

He was appointed as CCHO in 2019 and led Victoria’s health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Secretary of the Department of Health, Euan Wallace, offered his thanks to Sutton following the announcement.

“I need to thank Brett for his huge contribution to this Department and Victoria – and need him nicely for his new function,” he said.

Sutton’s last day has not been decided yet, but he won’t be leaving for a few months yet.

“I’ve bought just a few months with transition work and plenty of thanks from me and my crew,” he mentioned.