The Victorian Premier’s wife was not breath tested after a crash which saw a teen cyclist hospitalised, despite police protocol requiring all drivers in a collision to undergo the test.
Then opposition leader Daniel Andrews’ wife Catherine was driving a taxpayer-funded car when she collided with the teen cyclist in Blairgowrie, on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria’s south, in 2013.
Now years after the crash, which sent the teen to hosptial with multiple injuries, journalists have been denied access to police documentation relating to the incident.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews’ wife Catherine (pictured together) was driving a taxpayer-funded car when she collided with the teen cyclist in Blairgowrie, on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria’s south, in 2013
Victoria Police’s Freedom of Information office refused to send documents to journalists, telling Nine News the case was not in the public’s interest.
The 38-page document includes 10 pages of notes, three pages of photographs of Mrs Andrews’ car, two page witness statements and two page statement from Mrs Andrews, Nine News reports.
Mr Andrews, who was not in the vehicle at the time of the crash, was Victoria’s Opposition Leader in 2013.
The teenage boy’s father said he was also denied access to information relating to the crash which hospitalised his son.
The teen cyclist (pictured) was taken to hospital with multiple injuries following the collision with Mrs Andrews’ car
The teenage boy’s father said he was also denied access to information relating to the crash which hospitalised his son (pictured)
Days after the crash, Premier Andrews said he was confident his wife (pictured together) would have returned a zero alcohol reading if she was tested
‘It does not surprise me that the (freedom of information request) has been rejected. Something is going on,’ he said.
Days after the crash, Premier Andrews said he was confident his wife would have returned a zero alcohol reading if she was tested.
The Freedom of Information office also denied access to reports of police handling of the case, claiming it was also not in the public’s interest.
The office issued a statement which read: ‘Disciplinary action taken in relation to members is a personal matter’.
Two officers were reportedly investigated by the Professional Standards Command for failing to issue Mrs Andrews with a breath test after the 2013 crash.
Premier Andrews (pictured) refused to comment this week, saying it was a police matter
Victoria Police supported this.
‘The two attending members failed to conduct a Preliminary Breath Test on the driver of the vehicle involved in the collision. Both members were administered Workplace Guidance and the matter has been finalised,’ the police told Nine News.
Premier Andrews refused to comment this week, saying it was a police matter.
Just a few days after the crash, the Premier said the crash was serious and he was happy to extend his ‘best wishes’ to the victim.
However five years later, the victim’s father said he had not heard from the politician.