Backroom Baz: Calls for Premier Daniel Andrews’ to resign after a drop in voter support
Calls are mounting for Daniel Andrews to resign after a shock decline in this week’s polls. It comes as sources reveal the Premier’s popularity is also sliding in some Labor circles.
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Daniel Andrews took a dip in the polls this week, and within some Labor circles his popularity is sliding too, sources say.
Daniel Andrews took a dip in the polls this week, and within some Labor circles his popularity is sliding too, sources say.
But while most will keep it quiet, not so veteran ALP life member Garth Head who has called time on the Premier’s rein. Head fired back at Andrews after the Premier mocked his description as a senior Labor figure this week, saying the only person who genuinely thought that was Head himself.
“I’m shocked and hurt!” Head said, sarcastically.
“I know Dan doesn’t like truth telling over factional spin and personal attacks, but to coin a phrase ‘It’s Time’.
“Daniel’s rise to power, and that of his cohorts, was based on corrupt branch stacking, not multiple recruitment in accordance with Party Rules.
“Young Daniel, who had always been paid for his earlier nefarious activities in the ALP as an electorate officer, then as a Party paid official (splitting his time working for the Socialist Left branch stacking and directing internal campaigns and sometimes for the ALP) then as an SL MP based on numbers largely derived by branch stacking, then SL ticket Minister and then Opposition Leader because the Right was divided and through Liberal incompetence becomes and remains Premier,” he said.
“Never a volunteer but always personally ambitious.”
There is no love lost between Head and Andrews, clearly, with their frosty relationship done no favours over the 2020 merger of the fire services, in which Head fought for the rights of volunteer CFA workers.
But Head’s clearly not the only one losing patience with the Premier, with polling this week showing his net likeability fell to minus seven. Still more liked than the alternative, it must be said.
Cush for comment
Amid a string of recent appointments of former Labor MPs to cushy boards of late, a Liberal is set to board the gravy train this week.
Daniel Andrews flagged the appointment during a raucous Question Time on Thursday in which he came under fire for appointing former health minister Martin Foley as chairman of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation, at the small cost of $150,000 per year if you don’t mind.
“While I cannot divulge what is happening at cabinet, one of your former colleagues is set to be appointed to a board on Monday,” Andrews snapped.
Baz’s sources say keep an eye on Ryan Smith, who’s been gone from parliament just six weeks. It would make sense, Smith was spotted being uncharacteristically friendly with government MPs shortly before his departure, much to the chagrin of his colleagues.
Play nice, people
With one week to go before the Warrandyte by-election tensions are rising in the leafy electorate.
During the first week of pre-poll Baz is told not all candidates and their volunteers were playing nice.
A novel initiative at one voting centre, which trialled a new low sensory voting option for people with disabilities, saw candidates asked to back off voters as they made their way in cast their votes.
But Baz is told some were less accommodating than others, including the Victorian Socialists who ignored directives and shoved flyers in voters faces anyway.
“That’s dogsh-t democracy,” one comrade was overheard saying to another. “They’re using disability as a cover.” Now, now.
Blast from the past
More than 7 million Australians tuned into watch the Matildas’ valiant effort against England on Wednesday.
But not everyone could watch on, including premier in waiting Jacinta Allan, who took her commitment to the cause to the extreme.
Proudly wearing a green and gold scarf, Allan was spotted on a regional flight to Albury – en route to the Herald Sun’s Bush Summit – listening in on a transistor radio. A transistor radio!
Not since Baz was a boy has he seen one of those.
Alas, Allan’s soccer joy was cut short when she was ordered by the pilot to switch the device off, and stow it in the overheard compartment. Tsk tsk. But 10 points for effort! Baz is reliably informed Allan touched down just moments before Sam Kerr’ssensational goal put Australia, briefly, back in the game.
He shoots, he misses
Speaking of the soccer, poor old Sports Minister Steve Dimopoulos gaffed again.
Having earlier this year confused legendary basketballer Lauren Jackson for a netballer, Dimo got his semi-finals and quarter-finals confused, and completely butchered poor Cortnee Vine’s name while spruiking the efforts of the Matildas in parliament.
Overheard by Baz
“Daniel is doing a fabulous job. He’s staying there. I’m delighted with the job I’ve got. People can gossip and chatter,”
– Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan on being asked if she’ll soon replace her boss.
Guess who
Which shadow cabinet minister was seen having lunch with the UFU’s Peter Marshall in the Members’ Dining Room this week?
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