Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews today toasts 3000 days in the state’s top spot, making him officially eligible for a bronze replica.
But the premier told reporters at a press conference on Thursday he has no plans to celebrate the political milestone and no feelings towards being set in former premier Jeff Kennett’s 3000-day stone initiative.
“People who spend a lot of time talking about legacy usually spend not enough time actually building one,” Andrews said.
Kennett’s Liberal Party lost the 1999 election before he could clock the magic 3000. As Crikey previously reported, he never benefited from his own policy to stand as a bronze statue. The honour is now all Andrews’.
Kennett did not respond by deadline to Crikey’s request for comment.
Andrews is the fifth of 48 Victorian premiers to reach the 3000-day milestone, but says he cares little for it: “From my point of view, there’s no magic to that day.”
Andrews’ lack of inspiration has done little to quell the collective imagination, with Nine News drawing up plans for a masked Andrews, a hard-hat Andrews and a North Face jacket Andrews.
Crikey put questions to the premier about whether he would prefer to opt out of his bronze obligations, and if not, whether the premier would have a hand in its design.
A spokesperson from the Department of Premier and Cabinet told Crikey that “as a matter of practice” the department would provide a brief to government to initiate the statue’s commission after the premier had left office.
Crikey understands Andrews will be attending briefings, cabinet, cabinet subcommittees and stakeholder meetings today.
What will Credlin and the rest of Murdoch’s losers whinge about now?
One thing is for sure, there will be no praise for Dan and his decision.
Thegreat thing is knowing Dan Andrews really gets under their skin, the more they pour on the hate, the more he shines as a real leader.
As a NSW resident we can only envy you Victorians
“Officially eligible”? The media goes on about this statue thing as if it were enshrined in legislation, but as far as I can make out it was a ‘tradition’ invented out of whole cloth by Jeff Kennett. No one has to follow it.
And a ridiculous tradition at that. Someone does their job for 3000 days and gets a statue for it? You managed to keep the fickle public on side for the best part of 10 years, well done you. /s
That would be “a bit over 8 years” – sloppy maths!
It’s congratulations to Victoria for choosing to keep good, stable, competent government with an outstanding leader. Would like to see Dan Andrews immortalised in the iconic North Face jacket. Would make a good statement by way of comparison with those colonial characters immortalised in their Georgian and Regency jackets.
Here’s a prediction: Andrews will leave office and once he’s gone, the debt and other things will become evident and attitudes to his reign will change very significantly to the negative. Judge him then.
Is there some secret about the debt we don’t already know? People seem to accept it as necessary in an emergency.
Good question. It’s much larger than other states and was already an issue before COVID (COVID just hid it as everyone got into debt). It’s a recurrent issue (too many sweetheart deals and other things) and with rising interest rates, will become more and more of an issue. Strange grabs for cash like privatising the Titles office and land sales are signs of the desperation – cash up front, pay much more over the longer term. I remember some strange late Cain-era deals being paid off in the Kennett era. That’s the irony – Andrews may well be remembered for Labor and debt, which Bracks-Brumby worked so hard to overcome. Guy Rundle’s description of the Govt as a bulldozer covered by a rainbow is very apt. Rainbows don’t last forever ….
With a crown casino chip poking out of his pocket.
Andrews is too smart to encourage a statue which may be used for target practice…& not merely by pigeons.