Steve Price: Daniel Andrews’ words confirm he’s a nasty piece of work

Premier Daniel Andrews has this week confirmed what many Victorians already suspected when he called a fellow MP a “halfwit grub” – he’s a bully.

Daniel Andrews has no shame.

Daniel Andrews this week confirmed what many Victorians already knew about him.

The Premier is a nasty piece of work and I’m putting that politely. You can add bully to that description as well.

How else can you explain him refusing to apologise after calling a fellow Member of parliament a “halfwit grub”. A woman by the way.

Of course, Dan used “cowards castle”, also known as Parliamentary Privilege, to use his nasty tongue to lash Liberal MP Cindy McLeish during question time.

The Premier withdrew the comment accepting it was un-Parliamentary but has refused to apologise properly. At least on two occasions.

When asked if he would apologise, he said “there was nothing to apologise for”.

What had upset Andrews apparently was debate around an Opposition Bill on lobbying and a connection between Northcote Labor MP Kat Theophanous and her father, former Labor MP Theo.

One can only imagine the social media storm if a male liberal MP – indeed any male public figure, me included – in any parliament or workplace in Australia called a female politician or colleague a halfwit and a grub.

How is it then that Andrews can seemingly toss out an insult like this and walk away unscathed?

Premier Daniel Andrews this week described a Liberal MP a ‘halfwit’. Picture: David Crosling

Calling a woman stupid – the definition of halfwit – and grubby is bad enough in the heat of a political debate not being enough of a man to formally apologise makes it twice as bad.

This is serious workplace bullying of a colleague that in these times of enlightened equality would get most people sacked. It’s probably in breach of a raft of workplace laws both State and Federal.

What does this say about Premier Andrews’ respect for women and the sort of example it sets for other Victorians abiding by workplace standards expected of us all.

As usual the Premier believes he can do no wrong and is unanswerable to anyone including the parliament. His appalling behaviour comes in the week he accepts a pay rise, making him the highest paid state politician in Australia.

Daniel Andrews is now paid $481,190 a year plus expenses and perks like travel and vehicles.

That’s a pay rise of $16,272 a year to a bloke who presided over the collapse of so many Victorian businesses with his over-the-top Covid lockdown paranoia.

That’s a pay rise of 3 per cent at a time when most Victorians are struggling to pay for basics like electricity and gas, not to mention rents, mortgages or even food.

A state where employers have been hit by the Government’s latest Budget, hiking payroll tax rates making it more attractive to base yourself and your business interstate.

He has no shame, this bloke. You just wonder what damage his arrogant ruler image is doing to the wider Labor vote across Victoria.

The one thing saving Andrews’ skin is his uncanny ability to convince Victorians to vote for him despite his inability to reign in out-of-control infrastructure projects, manage health and come clean on things like heroin injecting rooms or to explain his handling of hotel quarantine during Covid.

The bloke has no shame. His hypocrisy has no bounds.

Back in April he called the federal Liberals “a mean nasty outfit with hearts as big as their dwindling primary vote.”

Liberal MP Cindy McLeish hit back at the premier, saying he is a ‘serial bully’ who ‘treats women terribly’.

This was in response to the Coalition and their position on the Voice Referendum. Incredibly 10 days ago the man who called a female a “halfwit grub” also talking about the Voice referendum said, “listening is where you gather wisdom and where you do better.”

If only Premier Andrews lived by the rules he argues we should all follow. But of course that’s not his way.

The target of the Premier’s abuse called the comments deeply offensive and made the obvious point that a woman – I’d say anyone – should not need to put up with that in their workplace.

She accused Dan Andrews of being a “serial bully” who “treats women terribly”.

Cindy McLeish is spot on but what’s surprising is the deafening silence from the Federal Labor Government, especially their female frontbenchers who accused the Scott Morrison Government of “having a problem with women”.

Surely calling a female political opponent a “half-witted grub” would suggest their Labor colleague Dan Andrews also has a women problem.

Despite winning a record third term just seven months ago it must be time for Daniel Andrews to do us all a favour and walk away from the job despite his healthy pay packet and perks.

The damage he is doing the Labor brand is getting worse by the day and he appears to believe that winning three times gives him some sort of political get out of jail for free card.

I don’t think anyone believes Daniel Andrews is half-witted which is the first half of his insult.

I’ll let you make up your own minds about the second bit.

Loathe it

• Essendon footy club threatening to bow to wokeness and dump its proud Bombers logo and nickname.

• Channel 9’s upcoming fictional drama on the great Shane Warne his former wife Simone is spot on.

• Doubts over the legitimacy of the bidding progress for Melbourne’s new Myki.

• Pay rises for all Victorian MP’s – they should be shamed into saying no thanks.

Love it

• Aussie victory in a special Ashes first Test win.

• AFL decision to dump Barry Cable from its Hall of Fame over historic sexual abuse case.

• Melbourne’s cold blast delivers some desperately needed dumps of snow in the Alps.

• Brendan Fevola launching his own beer brand – a perfect fit.