‘Eddie is equal to the task’: Dan Andrews backs Eddie McGuire amid racism furore

The Victorian Premier has backed beleaguered Magpies President Eddie McGuire despite growing pressure for his resignation.

Eddie McGuire, with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and AFL boss Gillon McLachlan, on grand final day in 2018. Picture: AFL Media

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews had declared Eddie McGuire “equal to” the task of addressing a culture of racism at the Collingwood football club, putting himself at odds with federal Labor colleagues who are among more than 100 prominent signatories of an open letter calling for the Magpies president’s resignation.

Mr Andrews dug in on Tuesday, reiterating comments he made in support of McGuire last week amid calls for the 56-year-old media commentator and AFL powerbroker to step down following a damning investigation into Collingwood’s treatment of racially diverse players.

Asked on Tuesday whether McGuire should resign, Mr Andrews said: “No. I made it pretty clear last week that, you know, you don’t run from challenges, you do everything you can to be equal to them.”

“You don’t run from problems, you work your guts out to try and fix them,” Mr Andrews said.

“The Eddie McGuire that I know is equal to that task, and I can tell you in my discussions with him, he is very, very committed to doing that work.

“It won’t be easy, and it won’t be fast. It’ll take time.

“Last week I made it very clear to you that this, whether it’s overt or very casual, racism is so toxic, so harmful, so hurtful, and we have to not accept, but acknowledge, that it is in many different places, whether it’s in the workplace, in the community more broadly, in sporting clubs, I think, I think I owning it, acknowledging it, and then doing something about it, that’s what’s most important, and the Eddie McGuire that I know is very committed to that, and I believe capable of doing that, but the last thing to do is to run from this.

“That’s not going to benefit anybody.”

McGuire’s brother, Frank McGuire, is a Labor MP in state parliament.

Federal Labor MPs Peter Khalil, who holds the seat of Wills in Melbourne’s north, and WA’s Anne Aly, signed a letter calling for McGuire’s resignation alongside indigenous figures including former ATSIC commissioner Mick Gooda, academic and activist Gary Foley, writers Tony Birch and Celeste Liddle, and Greens senator Lidia Thorpe.