Andrew Bolt: Daniel Andrews’ divide-and-rule leadership stirring protests

Daniel Andrews has been more severe and brutal than any other premier during the pandemic, and by failing to reassure mistrusting Victorians, he’s stirring up anger.

There’s a reason Victoria’s protests against forced vaccinations and pandemic controls are bigger and angrier than in any other state.

It’s not because Victoria has the most anti-vaxxers. Queensland probably wins there.

No, something else must explain why tens of thousands of people marched (peacefully) against the Andrews government on Saturday, and why – more ominously – mobs outside parliament since then have threatened reporters, hanged an effigy of the premier and cheered when a speaker shouted: “I look forward to when I see you dead at the end of a rope, you evil little bastard”.

Something must explain the angry mob protests in Victoria. Picture: Jason Edwards

Vile, inexcusably vile. But why is it worst in Victoria? I blame Premier Daniel Andrews. He’s been more severe and brutal than any other premier, with police smashing peaceful protesters into the ground and even shooting them with rubber bullets.

Andrews has also painted this pandemic as a battle between good and evil, casting some Victorians as the evil. No wonder some of his critics follow that same script, treating Andrews as Satan.

This is terrible leadership. You don’t see this ugly divide-and rule in NSW. Contrast: The NSW government this week iced its health minister’s bid to extend its own emergency legislation into 2023. Liberal MPs said it went too far. Cool it.

The pandemic has been painted as a battle of good and evil by Daniel Andrews. Picture: David Geraghty

But in Victoria – in this febrile atmosphere of mutual hatred – Andrews unleashed his far more draconian pandemic Bill. This would let him unilaterally order a lockdown and indefinitely detain people and fine resistors up to $90,000. He could impose a virtual police state with parliament getting no say.

QCs, legal bodies, the Ombudsman and human rights groups joined protesters in damning it. Crossbench MPs demanded changes before they’d pass it, and Andrews was forced for once to compromise – a bit. Fines will be halved. Protests cannot be banned. There will be more reporting to parliament. But the main oversight of the government in an emergency will still be by a parliamentary committee stacked with tame government MPs.

Premier Daniel Andrews not uniting Victorians with his leadership. Picture: Getty Images

Even then, Andrews made no attempt to sell this compromise and reassure Victorians who don’t trust him or his law.

Instead, he again played divide-and-rule by vilifying protesters, attacking “the disgusting and the potentially criminal behaviour”.

Yes, I know Andrews and his family have suffered disgraceful abuse and threats. I’ve copped that, too, and feel sorry for him.

So I share his outrage, but this is not the leadership that unites people. It’s just another whack of a beehive already buzzing too angrily.