Jenny Mikakos resigned as Victoria’s health minister on Saturday. Her decision came a day after Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews took the stand at the COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine inquiry on Friday.
She resigned in a scathing letter saying she disagreed with Premier Andrews’ comments and stated that she can no longer serve in his cabinet following his statements.
In the days and weeks prior to her resignation, health union representatives and Federal Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton had called for her to either resign or be sacked. The Health Workers Union welcomed her decision to resign, holding her responsible for the second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria.
READ MORE: Jenny Mikakos sends mixed messages during COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry
Federal Shadow Health Minister Chris Bowen paid tribute to Jenny Mikakos’ service and said she had “more understanding of ministerial responsibility in her little finger than Angus Taylor, Michael Sukkar and Alan Tudge combined”.
Brad Hazzard, Minister for Health and Medical Research, wondered how the health minister can be responsible for the quarantine system. “How could a health minister direct police to be involved?” he wondered.
Former premier of Victoria, Jeff Kennett, is waiting for more resignations to follow.
Nick Staikos MP spoke of Jenny Mikakos as a person of “integrity”.