If nothing else, Victoria’s 48th Premier Daniel Andrews will leave a legacy—a bronze statue in Melbourne’s Treasury Gardens. His length of service will entitle him to such commemoration joining other long-serving Victorian premiers.
Announcing his departure from politics after nine years at the helm and 16 years in total as the member for Mulgrave, Dan Andrews spoke of the issues most do when they resign—family, privilege to have served, and no longer being as enthusiastic about the job.
The promise to serve a full term made only a year ago was casually discarded like a soiled tissue.
In being interviewed, he declined to outline his biggest regret when specifically asked by a journalist. Quite understandable when the trail of destruction and double standards is recalled and examined.
There surely would be many contenders for the biggest regret. The premier would have found it difficult to choose just one.
Should he have nominated his secret trip to China? His Belt and Road deals with the Beijing dictatorship which had to be overturned by the federal government? Or the Red Shirts scandal which saw his party repay the taxpayers of Victoria a sum of $387,000 (US$250,000)?
Talking of money, he may have nominated the cancellation of the EastWest Link which cost Victorians a $1.1 billion penalty for repudiating the contract, or the $250 plus million penalty to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games—a Games which Mr. Andrews actively lobbied to obtain and promised to construct sporting infrastructure in the regions.
As for the promised West Gate Freeway that will now come in two years late at double the projected cost.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will remember Mr. Andrews as a “builder.” Really? Surely not of infrastructure.
Perhaps the prime minister had Labor branches in mind—an issue that saw right-wing colleagues and branches expelled leaving similar activities in the Left unexplored until just recently when the pressure became too great.
Unforgettable COVID-19 Handling
But the ham-fisted and near-manic handling of COVID-19 must surely take top spot.The longest lockdowns of any state in Australia—yet suffering the highest death rates—all allegedly based on science and expert advice is a legacy to ponder.
It is a legacy that saw his police force arrest a mother in her own home for her social media activity questioning the harsh restrictions on personal freedoms. A legacy that allowed the extreme and Marxist-inspired Black Lives Matter marches but denied those who had fought for our country’s freedoms the right to march.
The unconscionable lockdown of nine public housing towers which even the Victorian Ombudsman criticised. The firing of rubber bullets and tear gas on demonstrators expressing their opposition to the Andrews government lockdowns.
Compiling the list in hindsight is truly frightening.
Earlier on in his career, then-state Health Minister Andrews and then-federal Infrastructure Minister Albanese combined to fund a debacle of an organisation called Community Chef which saw a legitimate, well-established family business employing 41 Victorians known as “I Cook” go broke.
The enterprise the two set up with taxpayer funds ran at a considerable loss of $30 million despite its leg up with taxpayer-funded establishment costs.
It seems early on the soon-to-be-Premier Andrews was practicing hard on how to waste taxpayers’ money.
With such a legacy of wanton waste and dubious dealings, not to mention injecting rooms and transgender therapy laws, the question remains as to the inability of the Opposition to lay a glove on the Labor government.
Coming off his so-called “Dan-slide” of the previous election, the Andrews government still managed to increase its majority at the most recent election.
The hapless Opposition might reflect on its failure to keep the Andrews government accountable.
Cannibalising itself with expulsions and suspensions, the Opposition allowed Labor free rein in which it took no prisoners and brazenly looked after its mates and supporters.
Reciting “Labor-lite, Liberals lose” half a dozen times at the commencement of Party Room meetings could help focus attention on how to win.
Given the profligacy of the past nine years and the need for budget cuts, will the first budget saving be the cancellation of the Dan Andrews statue? It would be a fitting tribute.
