The Victorian women who could replace Dan Andrews’ statue
Daniel Andrews is being urged to consider his “white male privilege” and decline a statue when he hits 3000 days in office.
Victoria
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Premier Daniel Andrews has been urged to check his “white male privilege” and refuse a statue for his long service in favour of bestowing the honour on a woman.
Mr Andrews will have served 3000 days in office on Monday, the trigger for immortalisation in a statue under a Kennett government policy from the 1990s.
If a bronzed Andrews monument is erected beside some former premiers outside One Treasury Place it will join about 570 men with statues across Melbourne.
Only nine women have monuments, including Queen Victoria, Olympians Betty Cuthbert and Shirley Strickland, opera star Dame Nellie Melba, AFLW player Tayla Harris and French military heroine Joan of Arc.
La Trobe University historian and co-convener of activist group A Monument of One’s Own, Professor Clare Wright, called on the Premier to act.
“Whether we need another statue of a white male public figure is open to debate and certainly a point at which Daniel Andrews might stop to consider whether the resources could be redirected to closing the gender gap when it comes to commemorative justice in this state,” she said.
“He would be well within his progressive rights to be able to put forward other names of women who have contributed a great deal to the political history and civic culture of Victoria who have gone unrecognised thus far.”
Prof Wright said Mr Andrews had been a great leader and deserved his electoral success, but he had been aided by “other levels of privilege and advantage that he’s had on account of his gender”.
She said that women’s rights pioneer Vida Goldstein, who was among the first women to stand for federal Parliament, deserved a statue.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who will have served 3000 days in office later this year, said she didn’t want her state to adopt Victoria’s practice, and would “definitely not” accept a statue.
However, at this stage the Andrews government is sticking with the protocol, while also ensuring that more women are recognised in public art.
“Under a policy decision put in place by the Kennett government, Victorian premiers who serve 3000 days or more in office will be the subject of a statue to be installed along Treasury Place in recognition of the longevity of their service to the state,” said a Department of Premier and Cabinet spokesman.
“As a matter of practice, the Department of Premier and Cabinet would provide a brief to government initiating the commissioning after a qualifying premier had left office.”
Institute of Public Affairs Foundations of Western Civilisation Program director Bella d’Abrera said the Premier should refuse a statue.
“If Dan Andrews was truly committed to diversity as he claims he is, he would vacate the pedestal to a woman or a person of colour,” she said.
Dr d’Abrera said the late Queen Elizabeth II should be honoured instead.
Businesswoman and former Western Bulldogs vice-president Susan Alberti questioned why the statue policy had to continue.
“I know the precedent’s been set, but do we have to continue along that way when there are women who have done outstanding work for this state who don’t get recognised ever,” she said.
“I don’t want to be controversial … I’m just over men being recognised all the time.”
Ms Alberti said a portrait could be done of Mr Andrews, and she suggested that a “smart and humble” person like Governor Linda Dessau should get a statue.
“Our governor has done a wonderful job, she’s been outstanding,” she said.
City of Melbourne councillor and CFMEU official Elizabeth Doidge said she wasn’t bothered if the Premier got a statue, but generally didn’t favour “glorifying politicians just for the sake of it”.
“There should be more recognition of women, but not just for a tick-box exercise, there are plenty of women out there who have done amazing things,” she said.
Ms Doidge said that her childhood hero was Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman, who has a statue in Sydney.
While there was a broad call for more female statues, there was support across the political divide for the Premier to get his monument.
Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett said the 3000 days qualifying period had been set on advice from public servants, and he didn’t oppose Mr Andrews being so recognised.
“Of course, the criteria can be changed by the government of the day, as they change many other aspects of community life,” he said.
Mr Kennett said he had previously unsuccessfully urged governments to erect a statue to Victoria’s first female premier Joan Kirner.
“Maybe they could commission one of Joan and Daniel to stand among their predecessors outside number One Treasury Place,” he said.
Also backing a Kirner statue is Deputy Lord Mayor and ALP figure Nicholas Reece, who is leading a City of Melbourne push to redress the imbalance of male over female monuments.
“Joan was such a trailblazer, she deserves a statue,” he said.
“I’m very strongly supportive of seeing more female statues, but I would also be supportive of a Premier who’s served the time under the rules getting a statue.”
Deputy Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council, Georgie Crozier, said she wasn’t happy that Mr Andrews had been in power so long, but “if he’s entitled to it then he’s entitled to it”.
“There are some tremendous women who have done some tremendous things and we do need to be recognising women and their achievements,” she said.
Ms Crozier said that Doherty Institute director Professor Sharon Lewin was an incredible achiever.
“Why aren’t we giving acknowledgment for the great work that she’s done in science, led the way with HIV, and her extraordinary contributions over the last few years (with the pandemic),” she said.
City of Melbourne councillor Roshena Campbell nominated the late Queen Elizabeth for a statue, saying “there’s no doubt that she was very fond of Victoria, she visited Town Hall, she went to the MCG, it’s entirely appropriate”.
Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano said the VFF’s first female president and Landcare co-founder Heather Mitchell was deserving.
The state government’s $1m Victorian Women’s Public Art Program will increase the number of females publicly honoured across the state.
Organisations have been given grants from $50,000 to $200,000 to commission works by female artists.
Successful applicants include Victorian Trades Hall Council to honour equal pay activist Zelda D’Aprano, Golden Plains Shire Council for war surgeon Dr Vera Scantlebury, and Baw Baw Shire Council for Three Women on Kurnai Country.
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