The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, has hailed a new era of cooperation between the states and commonwealth, while revealing it was former prime minister and “mutual friend” Paul Keating who recommended he and the New South Wales premier work closely together on a reform agenda.
Speaking exclusively to Guardian Australia ahead of Friday’s national cabinet meeting – the first since Anthony Albanese became prime minister – Andrews said he was hopeful that the country’s leaders could agree on a program of reform for health, energy and skills after a wasted decade under the former Coalition government.