Matthew Guy says Daniel Andrews ‘arrogant’ and ‘out of touch’ as leader of Victoria

Matthew Guy has taken aim at the premier for claiming Victoria’s vaccine rollout as a “triumph”, lauding it as proof the Liberals can oust him at the next election.

State opposition Leader Matthew Guy says the arrogance of Daniel Andrews is why the next election is winnable for the Liberal Party. Picture: David Geraghty

Premier Daniel Andrews asking to be congratulated for his handling of the Covid pandemic shows why the upcoming state election is winnable, Opposition leader Matthew Guy has told the party faithful.

Addressing the Liberal Party state council on Sunday, Mr Guy took aim at comments from Mr Andrew’s that the government’s response to Covid and Victoria’s vaccine rates were a “triumph” and one which should have prompted political opponents to say “well done”.

Mr Guy said Victoria was facing “a mental health crisis, huge hospital waiting lists, the nation’s highest unemployment, the greatest state debt ever held by any state in Australia, massive cost blowouts on every single project, the loss of the title of Melbourne as the world’s most liveable city, the most Covid cases, the most Covid deaths and, of course, sadly the city with the world’s longest lockdown”.

Matthew Guy says Premier Dan Andrews is “out of touch” with Victorians. Picture: Alison Wynd

“And I see the Premier out today saying he felt he should have been thanked for it, I kid you not,” he said.

“Is it possible for him to be any more out of touch and arrogant? That’s why the next election is winnable.”

Mr Guy also used the forum to announce an enhanced $2.5b program to revive Victoria’s historic position of being the nation’s manufacturing capital.

The program, touted by Mr Guy as the biggest manufacturing assistance program ever unleashed by a state government, would include spending $1bn on regional businesses.

Specific areas to be targeted include healthcare, clean energy, food, fibre and beverages, aerospace and rare earth processing.

“It’s a $2.5b plan to once again make Victoria the manufacturing engine room of Australia,” he said.

Originally published as Matthew Guy says Daniel Andrews ‘arrogant’ and ‘out of touch’ as leader of Victoria