Liberal leader Matthew Guy is more confident each day he can win the state election
Liberal leader Matthew Guy is increasingly confident he will oust Dan Andrews, revealing his first priorities if he wins the election.
State Election
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Pandemic laws would be scrapped and taxes abolished within weeks if Matthew Guy is elected premier.
The Liberal leader has revealed the first moves he would make after taking Victoria’s top job next Saturday.
He would immediately introduce legislation to wind back the government’s pandemic laws, an election promise made when they were first introduced.
A Guy government would also need to urgently debate and pass the Coalition’s commitment to increase the stamp duty exemption for first home buyers.
This would be lifted to all homes below $1 million.
Mr Guy would recall parliament as soon as possible to achieve the goals, which is believed to December 19 — forcing parliamentarians to work through to Christmas.
Other legislation to be introduced in the Coalitions first week of parliament if elected includes:
— An appropriation bill to strike off supply charges on electricity bills for six months, saving more than $200
— Support measures targeted to cut the elective surgery waiting list
— A legislated debt cap for the budget
— Laws removing seven separate taxes currently collected by the government
— The creation of a Victorian gas reserve
Labor has attacked the Coalition’s gas policy since it was announced, alleging that goes against constitutional laws about restriction trade between states.
But the party remains committed to this promise and have made cost of living their key election focus alongside fixing the state’s besieged health system.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald Sun, Mr Guy said he felt more confident every day about his chances as he faces a massive challenge to unseat his rival Premier Daniel Andrews.
Six days out from the election, he has also pledged to be a leader who listens to his party and to the public more broadly, promising to change the centralised leadership style Mr Andrews has been criticised for.
Mr Guy promised he would “hit the ground running” on these key problems if elected.
“From immediate cost of living relief to scrapping Labor’s lockdown laws, my team and I are ready to deliver,” he said.
“The days of control and division are over. Victoria needs a fresh start and an inclusive, respect style of government that brings people together.”
“Only a change of government will fix the health crisis, reward hardworking families, and give Victoria the fresh start it needs.”
Mr Guy accused the Andrews government of “combative politics” and said Victorians were fed up with this style.
“I want to govern for all Victorians, not just the ones who will vote for me,” he said.
“I don’t want to be a leader of a government that is constantly fighting with people like this one is.
“Fighting with the federal government, fighting with stakeholders, they are obsessed with fighting.
“I’m not interested in petty squabbles.”
Critics of Mr Andrews have questioned the outside influence of his senior advisers in Premier’s Private Office, which has ballooned in size over the past decade.
The premier also been accused of bypassing or overriding his Cabinet ministers for key decisions that affect the whole state.
This criticism was loudest during the pandemic when he set up a much smaller “crisis council” of senior ministers which wielded unprecedented influence.
Mr Guy pledged to respect Cabinet process and to “let ministers do their work”.
“I promise to listen, including to the Victorian people,” he said.
“We will consult with them and with key groups so that they are on the journey with us.
“The Victorian public service also needs to be respected, not treated as pawns in a political game.”
The Victorian Ombudsman is currently probing the politicisation of the public service but is not expect to produce a report until next year.
Both major parties have had bruising campaigns and are expected to record low primary votes going into polling day.
Last week, the Coalition’s campaign was thrown off by the Victorian Electoral Commission referring it’s probe into Mr Guy and his former chief of staff to the states corruption watchdog.
But it has also been revealed that least four IBAC probes have touched Mr Andrews, including three which are yet to make their findings public.
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