Why does Daniel Andrews back the United Firefighters Union?
LABOR politicians, including within Daniel Andrews’ own cabinet, are openly questioning what it is that union firebrand Peter Marshall might have over the Premier.
Opinion
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LABOR politicians, including within Daniel Andrews’ own Cabinet, are openly questioning what it is that union firebrand Peter Marshall might have over the Premier.
Mr Marshall, whose standover ways were again on display through evidence to a parliamentary inquiry this week, appears to have an inordinate and unexplained influence over the Victorian Premier.
Whatever he wants, Daniel Andrews bends over backwards to give him.
It is astounding that Mr Andrews has expended so much political capital on appeasing the United Firefighters Union secretary.
It is appalling that UFU industrial heat, underscored by the personal attacks meted out by Mr Marshall, has held the Premier’s sway.
Mr Andrews bowed to the UFU’s militant bid for a union takeover of the Country Fire Authority.
That came at a cost of the longstanding goodwill of the 60,000 volunteers across the state with a proud tradition of putting their own time and safety on the line to protect life and property.
That came at the cost of talented and respected former emergency services minister Jane Garrett, forced to resign after she dared stand up to UFU monstering and to protect CFA volunteers.
That came at the cost of the former CFA board, sacked after it refused to do the proxy bidding of Mr Marshall and meet the demands of Mr Andrews and the replacement Emergency Services Minister, James Merlino. That came at the cost of Lucinda Nolan, who was left with no option but to kowtow or resign, as did chief fire officer Joe Buffone, who said his position had become “untenable”.
New evidence, revealed by the Herald Sun on Wednesday, about Mr Marshall’s steamrollering behaviour came out at this week’s parliamentary committee inquiry into fire season preparedness.
Ms Garrett’s former chief-of-staff, Danny Michell, said exchanges with Mr Marshall in 2015 led him to resign due to “the level of behaviour and language and threats”, which caused him “significant distress”, the inquiry heard. “(There was) a lot of profanity towards the end of ‘we can never trust all you people ... we’ve had enough, you can all go and get —,” Mr Michell quoted Mr Marshall in one exchange.
That testimony supports a key 2015 memo in which government industrial relations adviser John-Paul Blandthorn asked Mr Andrews to consider telling Mr Marshall to be more respectful to staff and ministers.
Mr Andrews has repeatedly, inside and outside parliament, denied ever receiving complaints from staff about Mr Marshall’s behaviour and said he had not previously seen the memo.
On Tuesday, Mr Michell told the inquiry Mr Marshall was aggressively pushing for the “career progression” of two union members who were awaiting secondment to government agencies or departments. And new details of a “strange” $484,000 payment to the UFU from the CFA relating to legal costs after a Federal Court case also came to light. The UFU had previously demanded “millions” from the CFA.
The entire UFU saga underlines threatening and bullying behaviour from Mr Marshall. More worryingly, it also illustrates either deliberate ignorance or wilful capitulation by a Premier. The question Mr Andrews should answer is simple. Why? Why side with a rampaging union official against his own colleagues and, plainly, to the detriment of Victorians?
MAD MARCH, BRING IT ON!
AS Victoria continues to bask in sun at autumn’s arrival, March is one of those jam-packed months for marquee events in Melbourne.
The next 30 days will see a bumper list of international and local sporting, fashion, food and cultural events.
The Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival kicked off last night in style at Government House.
Come tomorrow and over the weekend, it will be followed by the high-flying wonders of the Australian International Air Show at Avalon.
The Australian Ballet production of Faster opens on March 17 and, for footy-mad Victorians who love aggressive aerial ballet, the 2017 AFL season bounces off on March 23 when the men from Carlton and Richmond lace up at the MCG.
And as the female athletes continue to make their mark, the AFLW will host its inaugural Grand Final on March 25
Come March 23-26, Formula One engines will be revving high-octane adrenaline at the Australian Grand Prix.
A change of gears? The Melbourne International Flower and Garden show opens on March 29 and there’ll be laughs aplenty from the same date with the start of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
All that make you hungry for more? The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival begins March 31 and chomps through to April 9, a celebration of the city’s culinary and multicultural standing.
Mad March is one out of the box for major occasions and truly celebrates Melbourne as the world’s sporting and events capital.
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