Meanwhile, in Victoria: Gavin Jennings spends big on office upgrade

Daniel Andrews’ right hand man Gavin Jennings spent almost $60,000 on new furniture for his office in lavish upgrade.

Gavin Jennings’ refurbished office (with his large TV out of shot). Picture: Twitter

Daniel Andrews’ right hand man, Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings, spent almost $60,000 on new furniture for his office as part of his lavish upgrade of his office, new documents reveal.

Documents show that Jennings, the government’s parliamentary enforcer who is on suspension from the Upper House, spent up big on arm chairs, tables and stools as part of an upgrade to his digs that cost a total of $373,000.

The fit out saw Mr Jennings splurge more than $3500 on a pair of designer arm chairs for his office on the third floor of the government’s 1 Treasury Place office.

That was complemented by a set of three “bayou” coloured Amelia arm chairs at a total extra cost of $3570.

The minister, a factional ally of the premier, also spent almost $2000 on a large screen television and a similar amount on a coffee table setting with white and stainless steel stools.

Fittingly, for a man often accused of operating in the shadows, Mr Jennings also lashed out a high-end set of roller blinds for his windows which weighed in at the relatively hefty price tag of $5250.

But the biggest single cost incurred during the ministerial office makeover was a $25,000 “desk based” furniture system.

Mr Jennings is serving a six-month suspension from Parliament under a ban imposed by the Opposition and minor parties in the non-government controlled upper house.

The ban was imposed after the Opposition and Greens accused him of refusing to produce documents demanded by members on a string of government projects.

Known disparagingly as The Beard by his critics within the ALP caucus, he is viewed by opponents as the embodiment of the winner-takes-all politics of the branch of the Socialist Left to which he and the Premier belong.

The minister has previously been under fire over the fitout after figures revealed the entire cost of setting up a new office for him hit $273,000, accounting for almost half the office refurbishment budget for the whole ministry.

Under the previous government, there was no post of special ministry of state so it is understood extra costs were incurred in setting up the office from scratch.

Despite the bill, the head of the Department of Premier and Cabinet has described the office as “modest, indeed Spartan”.

A government spokesman said it “has spent less each and every year than the $1 million spent on ministerial furniture and office fit-outs by the Liberals in the 2013-14 financial year”.

It is understood on a square metre basis the cost of Mr Jennings’ office fitout was comparatively low compared to other ministerial offices.

Andrews opposes gay marriage plebiscite

Protesters rally in Melbourne in support of gay marriage. Picture: Wallmsley Stuart.

Welcome to Victoria, a state where debate is encouraged, but only if it’s the debate the government of the day wants to have.

Central to the Andrews government’s political strategy is an appeal to Greens and Left wing Labor voters via social media.

So it was that Andrews announced his latest stand on gay marriage online.

Put it to a vote in Victoria and Meanwhile, in Victoria predicts the state will vote yes. That’s the way things work in the southern capital, less so in its provinces.

But Andrews’ argument is that the national plebiscite would lead to too much anti-gay vitriol.

“This plebiscite will hurt people,’’ he said.

“It will legitimise a hateful debate which will subject LGBTI Australians to publicly funded slurs and denigration, further alienating a proud community who have fought so hard against prejudice for so long.’’

Andrews seems to be a man of little faith, unaware that the slurs and denigration will exist regardless of whether there is a national vote.

There wouldn’t be a gay person in Australia who wouldn’t be aware of negative views from pockets of society but at the same time the gay community has never been more accepted.

There is more to fear in quashing a debate than there is in encouraging it.

The thin blue line

Police Operation in Victoria. Picture: Andy Brownbill.

Stand by for the Andrews government to face the wrath of the police force.

Former assistant commissioner Gary Jamieson’s attacks on police resourcing are probably just the beginning of what will be a heated campaign for more cops on the beat.

It is normally the police association that leads the charge on this issue.

More cops and higher wages.

Given Labor’s attempts to appease the firefighters’ union, it makes sense that the police will go all out to get their piece of the pie.

This is where Labor has erred on the UFU.

Having handed the ambulance union their pieces of silver — and now the UFU — the government has exposed itself to more pain on the budget bottom line.

This is fine while the budget is strong but relentlessly increasing recurrent expenditure will come at great cost in the future.

It’s one of the core lessons learnt by the Cain-Kirner Labor governments.

Wages are like the Shanghai skyline, they just keep rising.

Who will challenge Michael Kroger?

Andrea Coote.

No obvious candidate has emerged to challenge Victorian Liberal president Michael Kroger next year.

There is a strong chance, however, that one will materialise in coming months.

Former state Upper House MP Andrea Coote had a crack in 2015 but withdrew when it became clear she wouldn’t win.

Her name is again being thrown about, along with Caroline Elliott, the daughter of beer baron John Elliott.

One senior Lib told Meanwhile, in Victoria that it was premature to be discussing names, given that key figures had their minds on governing rather than internal bickering.

Which makes sense.