Rita Panahi: A Labor victory minus Dan Andrews may be the optimum result for Victorians

Dan Andrews survives scandal after scandal with Teflon-like qualities but, come November, one electorate may deliver a surprising swing against him.

Unless something dramatic occurs between now and November 26 the Dan Andrews government will be comfortably re-elected for a third term.

Not because it’s been a particularly good or competent government, but principally because it faces no opposition.

The Victorian Liberals have given up any notion of being a genuine centre-right party, morphing into some Teal-tinged pack of impostors who’ve backed Labor’s hard Left policies from dramatic emission cuts to a treaty to radical trans policies.

But there is one electorate that may deliver a surprising swing against the incumbent.

It’s not just any incumbent, but the man who has ruled the state with an iron fist for a decade.

Premier Andrews’ Teflon like qualities in surviving scandal after scandal are admirable in a purely political sense.

He is clearly an adept politician. It’s just a shame that he is so inept at governing.

Premier Daniel Andrews is facing a tough challenge in his Mulgrave seat. Picture: David Crosling

The question is whether, for the first time in his political career the member of Mulgrave will be under real pressure in his own seat.

He’s already facing the righteous campaign of Ian Cook, the man whose thriving business was destroyed by the slug-gate scandal.

Cook, who is running as an independent, is winning support from across the state with small donations rolling in from Mildura to Malvern.

And, the Liberals have also managed to preselect an unlikely candidate with a fighting spirit. Michael Piastrino is a small-business owner and father of two and thinks he can beat Andrews who had 56 per cent of the primary vote in 2018 and close to 63 per cent of the two-party preferred.

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Though he has a gargantuan task before him, Piastrino believes the mood in the electorate has shifted considerably thanks to six crippling lockdowns.

“It’s a David and Goliath battle but Dan Andrews needs to understand this; David won that battle, not Goliath,” Piastrino told me on Sky News.

“Everyone who I’ve spoken to from businesses to residents are so excited to see a new face … we need a change in Victoria and we are going to start in Mulgrave.”

Ian Cook is running against Dan Andrews in Mulgrave and is winning support from across the state. Picture: Tim Carafa

Piastrino has been deeply affected by the human cost of the world’s longest lockdown and knows a number of people driven to the depths of despair by draconian restrictions.

“It hits my heart, I know people who tried to take their own lives because of the lockdowns and curfews, there are mothers and fathers not here because they could not handle the financial burden and stress caused by Dan Andrews,” he said.

“I’ve stepped up and I will continue to step up until Dan Andrews is removed from the seat of Mulgrave.”

By any measure Victoria has fared the worst of any state or territory during the pandemic with the highest number of deaths, the highest number of days under lockdown and the highest debt.

Any other similarly scandal-ridden government would be slaughtered in the polls but state Labor has the great fortune of a spineless opposition determined to emulate the WA Libs into electoral oblivion.

For many disaffected Victorians a Labor victory minus Dan Andrews may be the optimum result.

It’s a longshot but crazier things have happened in modern politics.