Dan Andrews wins election, honoured with statue

After a three-peat at the weekend's Victorian election the re-elected premier will be immortalised in bronze.

Premier Dan Andrews. Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

After a three-peat at the weekend's Victorian election the re-elected premier will be immortalised in bronze.

Daniel Andrews and the Labor party have been returned to govern Victoria for the third consecutive time.

He is now among the nation's longest serving leaders.

When he won his first election Taylor Swift was dominating the charts with Blank Space and Tony Abbott was the Prime Minister.

Due to his long tenure at the top Andrews will soon qualify to be immortalised with a bronze statue early next year when he chalks up his 3000th day as Premier.

Saturday's election day was his 2914th day in power.

"Labor's win will literally put Mr Andrews on a pedestal under an honour system to recognise premiers who have served 3000 days in office introduced by former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett," The Australian reported.

He'll reach day 3000 in February.

Only four former premiers have qualified for the honour in Victoria and their statues now stand outside the Premier's office at No. 1 Treasury Place in Melbourne.

They are:

• Albert Dunstan, who served 3834 days  (1935-45)
• Henry Bolte, who served 6288 days (1955-72)
• Rupert Hamer, who served 3209 days (1972-81)
• John Cain Jr, who served 3047 days (1982-90)

However a bronze likeness is nothing compared to the effort of winning the most arduous and hard fought election campaign in Australia since Covid.

Andrews oversaw some of the world's most harshest lockdowns during the pandemic, insisting on six of them while more than 800 people died in aged care facilities during Covid.

Onion, tomato sauce, mustard, and all of this: pic.twitter.com/0xUSGw2oRd

— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) November 26, 2022

On Saturday night, after what was considered a referendum on his government's management style, he was reinstated as leader for three more years.

"Some things are really big on Spring Street [where Victoria's state parliament sits] and they don't mean much on Main Street. I learn more, with the greatest respect, sitting on the side of the netball court talking to parents of my daughter's teammates than I do listening to loud voices," Andrews said.

After the win he abstained, but many of his supporters did as he said in between lockdowns and got "on the beers". 

@sana_kak

♬ original sound - Savannah

He was back at work early Sunday.

Back to work.

For every single Victorian. pic.twitter.com/3KfXRmFDC2

— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) November 27, 2022

Meanwhile his opponent, the Liberal leader Matthew Guy, quit.

"I did not get on the beers but many others did, which I thoroughly endorse because we're back. Victoria is open. Not just open for business. Victoria is open for big ideas and reform," Andrews said.

Sam Groth - a former tennis pro with one of the fastest serves - won a seat for the Libs.

Paul Mercurio is the new member for Hastings.

The Strictly Ballroom actor became a household name more than 30 years ago playing a rebellious yet talented dancer called - wait for it - Scott Hastings.

What else happened

Counting continues due to the overwhelming amount of people who cast their vote early, which is something even Andrews did late last week.

Despite what many pundits called the "anti Dan sentiment", the Andrews government had an extraordinary election win.

The Liberal party lost some skin, the independent Teals didn't really resonate like they did at the Federal Election and the Greens are taking graft in Melbourne's inner city. The minor party retained its three seats and picked up Richmond.

Andrews could win as many as 55 seats in the 88 seat parliament - an achievement that would equal the 2018 win, dubbed then as the "Danslide".

There was a large primary vote swing away from Labor (meaning they didn't get as many "1s" in some boxes) but that trend occurred in the mostly safe western suburban seats which the ALP held. Mainly those people who were affected harshly by the harshest lockdown rules.

The Liberal Party could win 25 seats with the Coalition, aided by three Nationals' gains in the regions.

The Liberal primary vote crashed to just 29% compared with Labor's 36.3%.

"Friends, hope always defeats hate," Andrews said. "A part of leadership, doing what is right, not being dominated and fixated into doing the popular thing. The other part of leadership is to move this state forward, and that is why it was so important that we put to the Victorian community a positive and optimistic plan."