We’re backing Dan: leadership aspirants pledge allegiance

Daniel Andrews’ most senior cabinet colleagues back his return despite concerns of a potentially lengthy absence.

Victoria’s acting Premier, James Merlino, and the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, at a joint announcement on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Matray

Two of Daniel Andrews’s most senior cabinet colleagues have overtly backed his return to the premiership despite concerns of a potentially lengthy absence as Victoria approaches the corona­virus danger season.

Deputy Premier James Mer­lino and leadership aspirant ­Jacinta Allan appeared together at an infrastructure announcement on Thursday where they pledged ­allegiance to the hospital-bound Victorian Premier.

Mr Merlino said he had been talking with Mr Andrews and the pathway to a return to the top job was clear: “He’ll return as Premier. On that day, I’ll be pleased to hand back the keys to the Premier of this state.”

However, Mr Merlino refused to rule out ever running for the premiership, adding that his reading of the situation was that Mr Andrews would return to the job.

“I couldn’t be clearer than that,’’ he said.

Mr Merlino, 48, has been a loyal deputy to Mr Andrews for nearly a decade, although their ­relationship was strained during the euthanasia debate. The Victorian Right has for years failed to back anyone as a potential successor to Mr ­Andrews amid the stranglehold he has had on the role.

However, the Right has been debating privately whether ­someone should stand in the event of a leadership transition, multiple sources have told The Australian.

The other obvious candidate to run would be Jobs Minister Martin Pakula, but there is a sense across government that Mr ­Andrews should be afforded the opportunity to recover after fracturing a vertebrae during a heavy fall on Tuesday and smashing ­several ribs.

“The prevailing feeling is it’s bad luck and we want him to get better ASAP,” a senior Labor MP said.

Doctors believe it will be weeks or possibly months before Mr ­Andrews will be able to return to work fully but he also is renowned for his work ethic and desire to control major decisions in ­government.

Transport Infrastructure Minister Ms Allan, 47, said it was her expectation that Mr Andrews would return to high office; Mr Merlino is Acting Premier in Mr Andrews’s absence.

On Mr Andrews’s return to the job, Ms Allan said: “That is his ­expectation and that is our ­expectation.”

Ms Allan, Victoria’s longest-serving female minister and a forthright member of the Labor Left, is favoured by Mr Andrews to replace him, whenever that is.

She is also considered highly ambitious, having been one of four young Labor MPs to rise through the Bracks, Brumby and Andrews governments.

The other three young stars were Mr Andrews, now 48, former police minister Tim Holding, from the NUW, who quit politics in 2013, and Mr Merlino.

The government was stunned when it emerged that Mr Andrews had fallen on wet stairs at a rental holiday home before returning to work on Tuesday.

The initial concern was about his ribs because of the fears that he could have a punctured lung.

Those concerns shifted to his vertebrae after the T7 was found to be fractured.

It is in the thoracic spine, part of the upper back, which helps support the rib cage, spinal cord and chest.