Victoria election 2022: Neil Mitchell attacks Matthew Guy over Dan Andrews’ Covid policies

Melbourne’s top rating radio host slammed the Liberal party for failing to use Daniel Andrews’ hardline Covid policies agin

Top rating Melbourne radio host Neil Mitchell has slammed the Liberal Party for failing to use Daniel Andrews‘ hardline Covid policies against him during the state election campaign. 

The Radio 3AW host panned Opposition Leader Matthew Guy on Nine News on Saturday evening – blasting the Coalition for having ‘avoided the pandemic as an issue’ over the past month.

‘I think they wimped it,’ Mitchell said.

‘The Libs avoided it, they thought it was too negative.’

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Melbourne suffered the world’s longest lockdown at 263 days – significantly more severe than Sydney’s 159 days – and Mr Andrews enforced tougher restrictions than other premiers.

Mitchell also took aim at both sides for failing to tackle major issues such as health and debt during the campaign. 

Victoria’s ambulance crisis has come under the spotlight in recent months and the state’s net debt is $99.9billion – well above every other Australian state or territory. 

Earlier in the evening, Mitchell predicted Labor will hold its power in Victoria’s parliament despite public anger over how it handled the pandemic.

‘There’s no doubt there is fury out there. I don’t know if it’s enough to change government, I don’t think there is but there’s no doubt fury towards Daniel Andrews,’ he said.

Andrews has not spoken to Mitchell, the host of Radio 3AW’s top-rating mornings program, in five years 

‘Some see him as heroic, some see him as ill fit.

‘One of the things that concerns me, if Labor wins easily, it’s a template for future elections.’

Newspoll results from The Australian back up Mitchell’s prediction with Labor is still voters preferred party.

The poll found Labor led over the Coalition 54.5 per cent to 45.5 per cent in a two-party vote.

Labor was also ahead in the polled primary vote with 38 per cent while the Coalition has 35 per cent. The Greens claimed 12 per cent while independents collected 15 per cent. 

Voters interviewed at the polls said Labor’s policies, specifically its plans to strengthen the Medicare system and build more affordable housing, put it ahead of other parties.

A Labor victory would mean Premier Daniel Andrews would become Victoria’s longest serving premier and entitle him to a bronze statue erected in front of parliament. 

Mitchell has held the number one spot on 3AW’s morning program for most ratings surveys over the past three decades, however, Andrews has not spoken to him in more than five years.

Polls closed at 6pm AEDT. Labor needs 45 seats to govern in its own right. Mr Andrews’ government currently has 55 seats and the Coalition is on 27 seats. 

Vote counting is expected to be slow due to more than 1.9million early votes being cast.

More delays could be caused by some polls running out of ballot paper and others running overtime due to large queues.