Premier Daniel Andrews scores prestigious leadership nomination
Daniel Andrews is the only Premier to be nominated for a prestigious award for his leadership during the pandemic.
Daniel Andrews has been nominated for a prestigious award for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite being at the centre of Victoria’s hotel quarantine debacle and receiving nationwide criticism.
The Victorian Premier was the only state premier among several politicians nominated for the 2020 McKinnon Prize, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
The prize, awarded to two politicians annually, is said to be a “nonpartisan and independent award” given to those “who have successfully tackled vital issues of public policy, overcome adversity and achieved real change for the public good”.
Judges said the Prime Minister’s nomination was for swift policies implemented throughout the pandemic which were “significant departures” from his “well-developed brand of fiscal conservatism”.
Meanwhile Mr Andrews’ nomination cited “firm, decisive and courageous leadership”. “Throughout the crisis, he based key decisions on expert health advice — a brave approach which led to some less popular decisions,” reads a statement from the nomination.
“Although Andrews was criticised for the devastating failings of Victoria’s hotel quarantine system, he was acknowledged for swiftly calling an inquiry into the system, and for committing to act on its recommendations.”
On the 2020 judging panel is former PM Julia Gillard; Mike Baird, former NSW premier; Professor Jim McCluskey Acting Provost, University of Melbourne; Leigh Clifford, Chairman, Bechtel Australia; Professor Megan Davis, expert with the UN Human Rights Council’s Expert Mechanism on the rights of Indigenous peoples; Nick Farr-Jones, Director of Taurus Funds Management; journalists Chris Kenny and Sabra Lane; Catherine Livingstone, Chair of the Commonwealth Bank; Peter McNamara, Board Director of the Australian Council of Social Service; Sophie Oh, Co-Founder, Susan McKinnon Foundation; Lisa Paul AO Former senior Australian public servant and policymaker; Yasmin Poole.
Also in the running for the prize is Health Minister Greg Hunt, Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
Past winners include NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in 2019, Labor Senator Penny Wong in 2018 and Councillor Vonda Malone in 2017.
To be eligible, nominees must be longstanding politicians with more than five years in office.
Victoria’s opposition has expressed incredulity at the nomination. Coalition leader in the upper house David Davis said he would give Mr Andrews a “different award”.
“Eight hundred and one Victorians died because of his failures and his inaction and his blunders,” Mr Davis said on his way in to Tuesday’s sitting of the Victorian Legislative Council.
“That is the award he should carry. That is the award he should have pinned to his chest.”
Opposition frontbencher Tim Smith tweeted of the nomination: “You couldn’t make this up.”
“The failures of the Andrews govt caused the 2nd wave resulting in 801 deaths, 250,000 jobs lost, 4 month lockdown & a mental health crisis,” Mr Smith tweeted.
In the McKinnon Prize category for emerging leaders is Independent MP Zali Steggall, who swooped Warringaah from former prime minister Tony Abbott in 2019, and is in the top six for the category.
Ms Stegall told the Daily Telegraph that her entry to politics had allowed her to the hold the government to account. “Entering politics as an independent MP was one of the best decisions I have made as I can hold the government to account and have introduced a Climate Change Bill to legislate net zero emissions by 2050,” she said.
The emerging leader award is open to those with less than five years in office.
The McKinnon Prize in Political Leadership is a collaboration between the Susan McKinnon Foundation and the University of Melbourne through the Melbourne School of Government.
The awards are due to be handed out in March.
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