Victorian election: Matthew Guy takes the fight to Daniel Andrews
Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has told supporters Daniel Andrews and the Labor government should not be allowed to get away with a ‘culture of corruption and cover-up’.
Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has told supporters Daniel Andrews and the Labor government should not be allowed to get away with a “culture of corruption and cover-up”, as the Coalition officially launched its election campaign.
Premier Daniel Andrews was branded a “frequent liar” on cards handed to party faithful as they arrived at the Coalition rally in Port Melbourne on Sunday.
Mr Guy used his keynote address to introduce new energy policy and focused heavily on the state’s growing net debt under Labor, encouraging the crowd of more than 300 people to chant about Victoria’s debt being more than the combined debt of NSW, Queensland and Tasmania.
“Our real solutions plan … will cap Victoria’s spiralling debt, reward hardworking families, help small business and restore integrity and accountability in government,” he said. “For the second decade of Daniel Andrews and Labor, a second decade of debt piling up more than NSW, Queensland and Tasmania combined.”
Mr Guy said the Coalition would abolish the electricity supply charge on power bills for the first half of 2023 if elected on November 26, which he said would save the average household $235.
He said consideration would be given to extending the “Bill Buster” program through winter until the end of 2023, depending on “the context of the budget, and the inflationary economic environment at the time”.
“While we are constrained by the record debt racked up by Mr Andrews, rewarding hardworking families is a key priority of ours,” he said.
“Our Bill Buster initiative will allow us to provide modest financial support to Victorian families and small businesses that is affordable and targeted.”
The Coalition would also reserve all gas produced in the state for use in Victoria in a bid to “turbocharge gas production and availability”, Mr Guy said.
He criticised Labor’s plan to phase out residential gas use, saying the power source was vital to “keep the lights on” and the Coalition supported conventional gas exploration in the state.
“Let me be clear, in our view, Victoria must turbocharge gas production and availability, not turn it off,” he said. “So what a government I lead will do, instead, is we will encourage investment in gas production in Victoria.
“Most importantly, we will legislate to require that 100 per cent of all new gas produced in Victoria is quarantined for Victorian use.”
Mr Guy said there was a “growing wave of anger and resentment” towards Mr Andrews over his management of the pandemic, and the opposition felt “confident, energetic and determined”.
The crowd booed as Liberal Party deputy leader David Southwick said Mr Andrews wanted to “honour himself with a statue” after locking down the state for 262 days and mismanaging hotel quarantine during the pandemic.
“What he did to the mental health of everyone, every single person in this great state … finally give Daniel Andrews the boot that he deserves,” Mr Southwick said.
Mr Guy’s infamous Lobster Cave dinner with alleged mafia boss Tony Madafferi again haunted him at the campaign launch, with a group from the Victorian Trades Hall Council dressed in lobster suits dancing and holding signs reading “Don’t pinch free kinder” and “You’d be cray-z to vote Liberal” outside the rally.
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