Daniel Andrews denies ugly allegations around Shane Warne's funeral
A spokesperson for Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has denied allegations that Shane Warne's state funeral was deliberately scheduled on March 30 to 'sabotage' the Federal budget.
Andrews announced this week that Warne will be honoured at a state memorial service at the MCG on March 30 after his tragic death in Thailand at 52.
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But according to the Australian Financial Review, there are 'suspicions' from some in the Federal government that Andrews deliberately scheduled the memorial service the day after budget night "to sabotage the budget, which the government plans as its election campaign springboard."
Political editor Phillip Coorey reports that some announcements that were meant to be made on budget night on March 29 will now be brought forward or delayed.
"The Morrison government is rethinking its budget strategy amid concerns the key pre-election document will be overshadowed by the state memorial service the next day," Coorey wrote on Friday.
However a spokesperson for Mr Andrews denied there was anything untoward in the March 30 scheduling of Warne's funeral.
“This is not about politicians, it’s about the family and the fans," a spokesperson told the AFR.
“As it should be, the process for choosing a memorial date was led by the family – and we respect their wishes.”
Eddie McGuire, who liaised with Warne's family to set a date for the memorial service, also denied the claims.
McGuire told the Financial Review that the optimal date was actually March 29 but Mr Andrews was the one who suggested it be moved so Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese could attend.
Other factors that played into the decision were a desire to have a respectful amount of time after Rod Marsh's state funeral on March 17 and the limited availability of the MCG in the lead-up to the AFL season.
Shane Warne to be farewelled at MCG memorial service
The MCG was the stage of the Warne's famous Ashes hat-trick in 1994, as well as his 700th Test wicket on Boxing Day in 2006 - his final series before he retired from international cricket.
"There's nowhere in the world more appropriate to farewell Warnie than the 'G," Mr Andrews tweeted on Wednesday.
The stadium is across town from Upper Ferntree Gully, the outer Melbourne suburb where Warne was born.
Ticket information for the evening event is yet to be released, but the premier said there will no crowd cap at the venue, which can hold up to 100,000 spectators.
"It'll be a very big event. It will be a celebration of his life as it should be," Mr Andrews told reporters.
"It's a fitting venue to say goodbye to someone who created so many indelible memories on that ground."
Warne's body arrived home in Melbourne on Thursday night on a flight from Bangkok.
Warne's father Keith and mother Brigitte, holding a single flower, were among several family members to meet the flight that arrived at Melbourne airport.
The Dassault Falcon 7X jet left Thailand's capital at 8.25am local time and arrived at Melbourne's Essendon Fields Airport around 8.35pm on Thursday.
The jet taxied to a private hangar where police officers were stationed outside.
Warne's eldest daughter Brooke and son Jackson were at the hangar, as was his ex-wife Simone Callahan.
with AAP
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