Dan Andrews to get statue, only fifth Victorian Premier to be bestowed the honour

A key politician of the pandemic era will be immortalised with a bronze statue.

Anothony Albanese seems indifferent to his former housemate, friend, and long-serving Victorian Premier Dan Andrews being immortalised with a bronze statue.

Dan Andrews will become the fifth Victorian premier to get a statue of himself.

To be eligible, a state leader must hold the top job for 3000 days.

Premier Jacinta Allan’s government commissioned the effigy this week.

Great to catch up with my friend and former housemate @DanielAndrewsMP, who cooks a great bbq. pic.twitter.com/BL31nfF3fx

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) November 27, 2021

Speaking in Melbourne on Friday, the prime minister had a free chance to publicly congratulate Mr Andrews, instead he had a partial dig at a political opponent.

Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett brought in the 3000 day, get-a-statue policy in the 1990s.

Asked if Mr Andrews deserved a statue and what the Prime Minister thought of any such memorial, Mr Albanese took a swipe at Mr Kennett.

For many Victorians, Mr Andrews’ legacy will be his handling of the pandemic, the longest lockdowns in the world, and the much criticised hotel quarantine scheme. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

“That’s a question for Jeff Kennett really,” Mr Albanese said of the proposed new statue.

“Someone who … I have only one thing in common with Jeff Kennett, which is we’re both Hawthorn supporters.

Mr Kennett and the Prime Minister were texting before Hawthorn’s season-ending finals defeat two weeks ago, Mr Albanese said.

“We engage in very positive banter about the Hawks. Other than that, we have nothing in common. And I can confirm that I was not a part of Jeff Kennett’s decision about ‘you get a statue after 3000 days’,” Mr Albanese said.

Anthony Albanese had a free hit to say something positive about the proposed statue but turned it down. Picture: NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

Mr Andrews’ premiership and Mr Albanese’s prime ministership overlapped by 16 months. Friday marks one year since Mr Andrews resigned as premier.

As Labor leader he steered the party to three election wins in 2014, 2018 and 2022.

Sculptures of former Victorian premiers John Cain Jr (Labor), Rupert Hamer (Liberal), Henry Bolte (Liberal and Country Liberal) and Albert Dunstan (United Country) sit outside Treasury Place, near Premiers Lane and parliament in the Melbourne CBD.