Premier hits back after James Packer labels Daniel Andrews ‘human filth’

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Premier Jacinta Allan has responded to scathing comments that her predecessor is “human filth”, refusing to call James Packer by name in her defence of Daniel Andrews and repeatedly referring to the billionaire as “that individual”.

At a press conference on Monday morning, Allan said she strongly disagreed with the remarks about the former premier, which were published on media site Rampart on Sunday night.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she strongly disagrees with James Packer’s character assessment of Daniel Andrews.

“I disagree quite strongly with that individual’s comments and his characterisation of the former premier, and I’m going to leave my comments at that, because I’m much more focused on building for the future, keeping the community safe, and investing in frontline services,” she said.

Allan then added: “I’m just not going to comment other than to say I most strongly disagree with that individual’s characterisation of the former premier.”

As premier, Andrews had also refused to name some critics when responding to them.

In the Rampart interview, Packer slammed Andrews for almost ruining his life, saying the former premier blindsided Crown with a fresh tax in 2022 that cost the business tens of millions of dollars.

James Packer and then-premier Daniel Andrews in 2015.

“I couldn’t think more lowly of Daniel Andrews, I think he is human filth … I hope he sues me,” Packer told friend Joe Aston, a former Australian Financial Review columnist who founded the business-focused Rampart.

“Daniel Andrews is about my least favourite person in the world. I think Daniel Andrews not only ruined Victoria, he almost ruined my life.”

Packer said the tax imposed by the Andrews’ government might have derailed the $8.9 billion sale of Crown to Blackstone, which eventually went ahead to give Packer a lucrative exit from the casino industry.

Packer was the major owner of Crown, which operates casinos in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

Andrews has not responded to the scathing character assessment.

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