Daniel Andrews says party has work to do on once safe Labor seats

Dan Andrews admitted his party can do more in Melbourne’s north and west, where safe Labor seats saw massive swings against them at the recent state election.

Premier Daniel Andrews says his government will listen further to the needs of frustrated Victorians in Melbourne’s north and west, also lashing the Coalition over the tone of their disastrous election campaign.

Speaking about the election result on the Socially Democratic podcast, Mr Andrews admitted he was nervous on polling day but was pleased that those who were frustrated with the government were outnumbered by those who were more hopeful.

When asked about what went wrong for the Liberal party, he said voters in the eastern suburbs had rejected their plans to shelve the Suburban Rail Loop and also had concerns about racism related to right-wing minor party candidates.

“You cannot look to any part of Melbourne, particularly when you say to the east, go down to Box Hill and ask half a dozen people what they think of Pauline Hanson, what they think of racism,” Mr Andrews said

Premier Daniel Andrews during his victory speech after winning the 2022 state election. Picture: Getty Images

“They know what that brand of politics means.

“Some of these candidates the Liberals were preferencing and were in a political partnership with, their brand of politics means a harder life, less pleasant experiences.

But Mr Andrews also said his government can do more in the north and west, where safe Labor seats saw massive swings against them and have now become marginal.

“The one in 100 year pandemic ... Had impacts that were varied depending on what you do for a living and to a certain extent where you live.

“We have to acknowledge that and we have to do whatever we can to deal with a sense of concern among some people in some parts of our state that they’re not getting the support that they need.

“They don’t want to have bought into a housing estate and have to wait 20 years for that to become a community. They want the stuff they see other parts of the city and state have.

“We just have to work harder to make sure people know what we are doing (and) we have to listen. (We) Always have to try and work harder at listening better.

“There’s not one message, there’s a series of messages in every poll and there’s some work for us to do there.

Mr Andrews said he “couldn’t work out” why the Liberals had campaigned significantly on health and accused them of struggling to get healthcare professionals to stand alongside them at press conferences.

Mr Andrews said Matthew Guy’s LIberal Party lost because voters in the eastern suburbs had rejected their plans to shelve the Suburban Rail Loop. Picture: David Caird

He also said free kinder had struck a chord with voters for tackling cost of living and also allowing more women to enter the workforce if they wanted to.

“Childcare isn’t working for working people,” Mr Andrews said.

“On every level this is really good work, it works. It costs a lot but it’s a profound investment.”

The skilled migration cap in Australia needed to be raised further to boost the country’s post-Covid recovery alongside strong female participation, the premier said.

Mr Andrews also revealed he had discussed the possibility that Labor might not win a third term in government with his wife Catherine when discussing implementing severe Covid restrictions.

But he said they had both agreed that strong measures had to be taken, despite the public backlash among some that continued during the campaign.

“You always have to remember, we did lock people down for like two years,” Mr Andrews said.

Daniel Andrews voting in the state election with his wife and two of his children.

“We were in people’s lives in an unprecedented way.

“There was a lot of pain, there was tragedy as well but for the best of reasons we made principled decisions. indeed the right thing not the popular thing

“Some people are very supportive, some people aren’t.

“Even in a big win, there’s going to be a section of the community who are not fans.”

Mr Andrews also accused groups of “weaponising” these frustrations.

“That maybe gave some people permission to go to places, to adopt a tone, to do deals with people that had an ugliness to it,” he said.

“What’s really pleasing ... is that those angry people were so comprehensively outnumbered by people that are much more hopeful.

Mr Andrews also criticised media coverage, accusing outlets of trying to determine an election winner rather than report a contest.

“Add all that together then you finish up with a campaign that at least in part had some very strange elements, and some ugly elements.”