Andrew King aiming to attract 50 candidates to run against the Premier before nominations close on November 11

The Premier is facing a mass challenge in Mulgrave, with one wealthy Melburnian offering to bankroll 50 independent candidates to run against him.

A prominent Melbourne art collector is offering to bankroll a mass challenge against Daniel Andrews in his seat of Mulgrave.

Andrew King is offering to pay the $350 nomination fees to the first 50 people who agree to run as independent candidates against the Premier at the November 26 election.

Mr King said he believed the mass challenge movement could help unseat Mr Andrews, who has held the seat for two decades.

“This is the first trial of civic instigation,” he said.

“It’s a fresh and potent form of citizen activism based upon a bedrock principle of democracy: the right of every citizen to stand for parliament.

Daniel Andrews is facing what’s been described as a ‘trial of civic instigation’. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

“All Victorians – whether you live in Swan Hill, Sandringham or Shepparton – are eligible to stand up to Andrews by standing against him in Mulgrave.”

Mr King lives in St Kilda, has never been a member of a political party, and has never been involved in politics.

But he said he was moved to act because of his anger with the current state government.

He said he was particularly angry at the “utterly broken health system, the ever growing lethal failures of triple-0, and the record low respect for Victoria Police.”

“Now there are three examples of vital community services that are demonstrably worse off than they were eight years ago.

“And they’re the things that you can see. What about the secrets and the cover ups?”

Mr King said a ballot paper of 50 or more candidates would present a genuine electoral challenge to the Premier’s prospects of re-election.

It would do this by reducing his first preference vote, diverting votes away from him, and increasing the likelihood of informal votes.

Art collector Andrew King says he was moved to act because of his anger with the current state government. Picture: Supplied

Mr King has never been a member of a political party, and has never been involved in politics. Source Supplied

Mr King also plans to nominate as a candidate.

Ian Cook — the man at the centre of the long-running “slug gate” scandal — is currently the most high-profile independent challenging for the seat.

The campaign has been dubbed by his supporters as “Cook versus Crook”.

Mr King said he was confident he would attract potential candidates before nominations close on Friday, November 11.

“The seething sense of outrage, resentment and frustration abroad in the community — with the likely prospect that Andrews’ disastrous and imperious reign will continue after the forthcoming election — leads me to believe that there are far more than fifty Victorian citizens out there who have had a gutful, and who would love to do something about it, but they feel helpless,” he said.

“People tell me, ‘it’s just not right, but what can I do about it?

“Well. they can stand up to Dan by standing against him. My offer to pay the $350 nomination fee for each of the first 50 is totally fair dinkum.”

Mr King has set up a website at www.ivehadagutful.com