Adem Somyurek claims Daniel Andrews ‘dangerous’ in political power

Ousted Labor MP Adem Somyurek says Daniel Andrews’ brand of leadership was a political experiment that only the Victorian public can end.

Disgraced government Minister Adem Somyurek has lashed Daniel Andrews’ as having earned his political reputation through branch stacking and someone who runs his faction like a fiefdom with Andrews as “the sole decision maker”.

Mr Somyurek was kicked out of the Labor Party last year over explosive allegations that he was involved in a branch stacking operation. He was also secretly recorded using offensive language about a female ministerial colleague.

But the former minister, who has returned from his self-imposed parliament ban to vote against the government’s controversial pandemic legislation, has accused the Premier of double standards.

“I was kicked out for branch stacking would you believe? For the current premier to say I should leave because of branch stacking – pot, kettle, black,” he told 3AW.

“Daniel was a pretty, you know, he earned his reputation in politics through branch stacking so let’s be clear on that.”

Oust Labor MP turned Independent Adem Somyurek has claimed Daniel Andrews built his career with branch stacking. Picture: David Crosling

Describing Mr Andrews’ style, Mr Somyrek said it was “dictatorial” and “dangerous” because it was absent of checks and balances.

“He is an imposing man,” he said.

“He is a robust character but if you’re standing up to him he is an extreme pragmatist.

“It needs people with a bit of spine to actually stand him up.

“I think Daniel Andrews is an experiment that has been sort of successful at the one level because of the pragmatism he’s been brought up on.

“But also a failure on another level in terms of check and balances and respect for process.”

Mr Somyurek said the premier ran his people like a fiefdom, shrinking cabinet during the pandemic which left Mr Andrews as “the sole decision maker”.

“Hotel quarantine, for example, would not have happened if cabinet government was in place,” he said.

“Any minister bringing to cabinet the prospect of private security enforcing compliance would have been absolutely laughed out of cabinet.”

When asked who was responsible for the system that ultimately led to 800 deaths, Mr Somyurek said the “bucks gotta stop with the person who set up the system”.

But the Premier refused to be drawn on the claims from his former minister.

“I’m not here to have a debate with him about any matter whatsoever,” Mr Andrews said, when asked what he made of a characterisation that he was an “imposing man” who ran a fiefdom.

Asked why he didn’t intend to refute the damaging allegations, Mr Andrews doubled down: “I’m not having a debate with him about any issue.”

He also refused to say whether he had been involved in branch stacking all during his political career.

“I’ve dealt with those questions before,” the Premier said. “And I’m not here to have a debate with him about any subject matter.”

Somyurek says there’s no one in the Labor Party with “the spine” to stand up to Daniel Andrews. Picture: David Crosling

Mr Somyurek went on to claim the system was now set up so Mr Andrews could usurp external decision making process.

“When you want unfettered power, it’s a very dangerous situation to be in,” he said.

“I just don’t think he has the patience for process.

“There’s not enough people there to have the gravitas to bring him into line.”

Mr Somyurek said it was now up to the Victorian people to realise the government they had was “not necessarily good”.

“His research obviously shows that people like strong leadership,” he said.

“Now it’s up to the people to wake up and understand that strong leadership is not necessarily good government.”

Mr Somyurek said his mission over the next year was to hold the Andrews government to account.

“My message to the Labor Party is: ‘I’m not yours anymore’,” he said.

But he maintains: “I’m not a Labor Party politician in exile.”

Mr Somyurek said he returned to parliament to vote against a “dangerous Bill”.

He added that Mr Andrews was running a centralised government, spectacularly claiming the hotel quarantine fiasco would not have occurred if the government had partook in “collective decision making”.

“I know how the government operates. There is no collective cabinet decision making,” he said.

“Any minister bringing to cabinet the prospect of private security enforcing compliance … would have been absolutely laughed out of cabinet.”

Mr Somyurek said the buck should have stopped with Dan.

“He’s an imposing man,” he added.