Shannon Deery: Hard to fathom why Daniel Andrews would buy into Andrew Thorburn saga

Daniel Andrews will find it hard to shake the Dictator Dan tag if he can’t resist the temptation to tell us how to live our lives.

After 940 days, Victoria’s pandemic declaration will end this week.

With it, Daniel Andrews and Labor will be keen to shake the Dictator Dan epithet that has cast a shadow over his pandemic management since mid-2020.

Make no mistake, ending the pandemic declaration is a purely political move which was resisted by senior public health officials.

There were 43 Covid-related deaths last week, 158 Victorians in hospital and eight in ICU.

And across Europe and the US scientists are bracing for a more severe strain to emerge in coming months.

But for the election in 46 days, this government will be leaving the declaration very firmly in place.

Especially because with parliament finished for this term, it will be powerless to reinstate a declaration until after the election should the need arise.

Removing the declaration, and the prospect of further restrictions, is symbolic that the pandemic is over. And that government interference in our lives is finally over.

Which is why it’s hard to fathom why the Premier was so quick to buy into the Andrew Thorburn saga last week.

Andrew Thorburn spent about 30 hours as Essendon CEO before standing down.

Thorburn stood down from his role as Essendon CEO after less than 30 hours in the gig after his links to a conservative Christian church were made public.

Andrews was happy to weigh in, labelling views held by the church on homosexuality and abortion as “absolutely appalling”.

Never mind his Catholic Church, which Andrews says “guides me every day”, holds near identical views.

“I don’t support those views, that kind of intolerance, that kind of hatred, bigotry. It is just wrong,” he said.

Andrews enjoys a holy war.

He has a track record of going head to head with Christianity – and winning.

He rammed through laws on same sex-adoption and euthanasia and de-gendered birth certificates without taking a hit in the polls.

He worked out a long time ago that divisive religious views are just that, even among the faithful, and that those espoused by religious leaders don’t always match the views from the pews.

But has he misjudged the impact his latest comments might have?

If the Opposition is smart, it will be able to position them as a useful way to reignite the Dictator Dan theme.

Daniel Andrews has a history of going up against the Christian lobby and winning.

See, Andrews took no issue with other aspects of Thorburn’s character.

Like how he was forced to resign from NAB immediately after damning findings from the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.

It found NAB stood apart from the other three major banks and singled out criticism for Mr Thorburn and the chair Ken Henry.

Some of the worst controversies of the commission were linked to NAB.

It included charging fees to dead people, and rogue NAB staff falsifying documents to secure mortgages for customers in return for cash bribes paid across the counter.

But it was only Thorburn’s religious beliefs that appalled Andrews and others.

The Opposition should be able to position this as Andrews, again, being unable to resist the temptation to tell everyone how to live their lives.

That come election day, they needn’t want to vote for Matthew Guy. Just that they should vote to get rid of Daniel Andrews.

The issue should consolidate the base and distract from the ongoing Liberal infighting and campaign turmoil.

Because it brings issues of freedom to the fore, and threaten to reinforce the notion of Labor being dictatorial.

If the Opposition is clever, it will be able to play this in such a way as to create a differentiating narrative.

It may not result in direct support for the Coalition.

But fringe parties, like Family First, are sure to cash in on the quiet conservatism that shouldn’t be underestimated among Victorians.

And the flow of preferences could then be crucial in bolstering the Coalition vote.

Andrews and Labor might be keen to shake off the pandemic declaration and remove the idea of government intervention in our lives.

But the issue could yet become key on election day.

And another thing

The cost of living is another issue that could trouble the government come polling day.

According to the current Ipsos Issues Monitor, no other issue comes close to worrying Victorians as much as the cost of living.

Last week’s RBA rate hike is unlikely to be the last before the election.

And while that’s not the fault of the state government, voters will start to ask what is Andrews doing to help.

Labor has been virtually silent on cost of living policies.

It will point to a range of initiatives already in place, but has announced nothing new of note.

The Coalition’s $2 public transport plan has attracted criticism, but it will deliver massive savings for a huge number of Victorians, as well as restoring overall confidence.

It might turn a few votes.

But what could be more damaging for Labor is the constant imagery around cost of living.

Every time mortgage rates rise, Victorians will want someone to blame.

Every time petrol is pumped at $2 or more a litre, Victorians will want someone to blame.

There is a feeling that life is just getting harder.

Come election day, whether it’s the government’s fault or not, Victorian Labor could bear the brunt.