Piers Akerman: Victoria going downhill under Daniel Andrews’ leadership

It’s not just Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews’ response to COVID-19 that is to blame for the state’s woes, but the whole culture of dictatorial leadership that has corroded the once-proud state, Piers Akerman writes.

The Hume Hwy crosses Oddies Creek in south Albury, before it enters ‘Danistan’, the name given to dictator Dan Andrews’ failed state, formerly known as Victoria.

Beside the highway, a scrawled sign warns “Enter At Your Own Risk”, in case NSW motorists may unfortunately be oblivious to the disastrous state of affairs they will
soon confront.

To be perfectly clear, it’s not just Andrews’ response to the Wuhan virus that is to blame for the state’s woes, it is the whole culture of top-down dictatorial leadership that has corroded the once-proud state.

Contributors to the collapse have been apparent branch stacking within the ALP, which has led to a current brawl involving former state minister Adam Somyurek being played out in the Victorian Supreme Court; it is the slow unravelling of the outrageous Victorian police entanglement with paid informer Nicola Gobbo, the notorious Lawyer X, which will see currently convicted criminals having their convictions overturned; and of course, there was the disgraceful police-judicial stitch-up of Cardinal George Pell, which was only overturned on appeal to the High Court.

The rule of law in Danistan owes more to Chinese President-for-life Xi’s repressive model than it does to the Western common canon.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been under continued pressure throughout the pandemic. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling

The Victorian police didn’t hesitate to handcuff and arrest a pregnant woman dressed in her pyjamas in her home and charge her with incitement after she posted notice of a protest against Andrews’ handling of the virus last year.

It is accepted that the Andrews’ government’s failed hotel quarantine program — using security guards secured from a NSW company which had zero experience in the field — was responsible for the deaths of at least 801 people. Nearly 90 per cent of all the deaths from the virus in Australia.

Yet Andrews’ $5.7 million inquiry under former judge Jennifer Coate found that no one was to blame for the lethal errors as the state spent at least $7.7 million defending its failed quarantine program.

A simpler and less expensive method of discovering who was responsible would have been to simply demand the contract documents be produced and check the names of those who signed off on behalf of the state government.

Spending money — taxpayers’ money is clearly no problem to Chairman Dan who also splashed out $19.3 million to pay quarantine costs for Pacific Island workers to fly in and pick fruit and vegetables while local bludgers prefer to reap the benefits of federal handouts.

A motorist expresses their views about Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Supplied

Unfortunately, the state Liberal Party has shown itself to be totally inadequate to the task of tackling this spin doctor.

Opposition leader Michael O’Brien is an unimpressive figure of no discernible conviction.

He has, as one major figure in the party said: “No oomph”.

Two figures who could bring some zing to the party and help replenish its empty coffers are Tim Smith, shadow parliamentary secretary to the Opposition leader, who regularly voices his forthright opinions and Georgie Crozier, the shadow health minister and deputy Opposition leader in the Legislative Council.

Andrews holds a commanding lead in the polls — Stockholm syndrome on steroids — and if current popularity held through to next year’s November election would win in a gallop, perhaps even winning a super majority.

The Victorian media has run hot and cold, the Age and ABC are naturally supportive of any Leftist lunacy and have only recently reluctantly discovered that his quarantine program is lethally flawed and economically catastrophic.

The Herald Sun, which led the charge for change when the disastrous Cain-Kirner government crippled Victoria in the late 1980s and early 1990s has yet to mount a significant campaign for change of either the government or the Liberal leadership.

There are some signs that Victorians have had enough of Dan and his distractions, such as this message on the rear window of a 4WD spotted near Glenrowan.

The best time to ramp up moves to unseat Andrews and install a new, clean government would be three to six months before the election.

The Victorian Liberal Party showed renewal of the state was possible when Jeff Kennett led in 1992.

It must do so again.