Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews said “we’ve got an opportunity now” when asked about the upper house seat vacated by former health minister Jenny Mikakos last Saturday.
He said it was with a “heavy heart” his colleague of many years had resigned however “from that great sadness comes an historic opportunity for us”. Ms Mikakos’ resignation is an opportunity “to commit to justice for Aboriginal people and a true partnership with First Nations peoples”.
Premier Andrews did not comment when asked about whether that meant he was thinking about Prue Stewart, who works in the office of Indigenous Affairs Minister Gabrielle Williams.
“I’m not going to comment on individual candidates but it’s an outstanding field and it strikes me as quite obvious that there is an opportunity for us to do something very, very special,” he said.
READ MORE: Eradication or suppression? Jenny Mikakos casts doubt over Victoria’s COVID-19 strategy
“I have known for my entire adult life that if you are genuinely committed to better outcomes for Aboriginal people, then they need to be led by Aboriginal people.
“I think we’ve got an opportunity right now, a moment, that is precious, and I don’t think we should miss it.”
Susie Byers, president of Victorian Labor and state secretary of the Community and Public Sector, said on Friday she would not contest the seat vacated by Ms Mikakos.
READ MORE: Dan Andrews says Mikakos made the “right choice” to resign, he found out via text
Ms Mikakos quite as health minister and from her role in parliament last Saturday when the premier told the hotel quarantine inquiry her department was responsible for the botched hotel quarantine program.
