Last week Victoria's State Leader, Premier Daniel Andrews resigned. He was a can do Premier responsible for a lot of building of infrastructure and carried us through the worst of the awful Covid times with a reassuring daily press conference. His lockdown of citizens was severe but goodness knows how many lives were saved and no doubt there were many.
Could it have been done better? Of course yes, with hindsight but we were in a deep unknown territory. He has been divisive leader with many loving him and many hating him.
But note, his first electoral victory nine years ago was close. At both the next election and the following, the Labor(sic) Party increased its majority and the conservative opposition party was almost demolished. The haters are very loud and vocal, especially the so called 'freedom' folk. I am not going to do a Hillary and call them the Deplorables however... He has left us with a large state debt, partly due to Covid, and the investment in infrastructure. Over my lifetime I've come to realise that government debt in our rich country is pretty meaningless.
Our new Premier is Jacinta Allen, formerly Deputy Premier. With a healthy electoral margin, she may even survive the next election if not thrive. She's a very experienced politician who had been in politics for 30 plus years, from her teen years.
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I had to google but it was definitely worth the minimal effort. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGood, EC.
Delete"I don't do what is popular, I just do what is right" - if only all politicians would follow this rule! Thanks for the earworm, Andrew :)
ReplyDeleteJenny, yes a terrible earworm but not a bad one.
DeleteNo politics is clean. Dan has to do what he needs to do in the political landscape. I support the infrastructure work for which I loathe very much in my daily commuting. However, someone gonna build the infrastructure for the long term outlook.
ReplyDeleteI don't know Roentare. We keep building roads, widening freeways and nothing seems to work to solve traffic problems.
DeleteI watched the Instagram link, and even if Daniel Andrews is a politician in another country (yours, Andrew) I nevertheless got a good sense what he's about. He seems like somebody I'd vote for.
ReplyDeleteHe had his faults Kirk, but his basic objectives for a better society were sound.
DeleteThat was clever.
ReplyDeleteHe is a talented bloke River.
DeleteWow wow wow.....that was so fast and yet so good! I wonder if Sammy J had heard rumours a week or two earlier to start his remake? Either way, it's brilliant (https://tentativelytasmanianblog)
ReplyDeleteMM, as far as I can tell, no one knew in advance, but I think it was predictable.
DeleteSpot on! He headed up an excellent state government, but perhaps the lockdowns of citizens during Covid was the most appropriate. Covid-deniers in other countries were tragically successful in banning lockdowns, causing 3.3+ million Covid deaths. Victoria was largely spared by caring authorities in government and medicine.
ReplyDeleteHels, the lockdowns were hard and the very last one came close to breaking people. But they were necessary and did save so many lives, and he was acting on health authorities advice.
DeleteInteresting clip and well done.
ReplyDeleteIt was Margaret. Thank you.
DeleteDaniel Andrews was a familiar face on ABC News during the Covid times. Like you rightly said those days were uncertain times. I hope Jacinta Allen is able to do well for the welfare of Victoria.
ReplyDeleteWe all have high hopes for Allen, Pradeep. But we have to adjust to Andrews no longer being around first.
DeleteHe sounds like a good bloke, rare in politics. I enjoyed the Instagram link.
ReplyDeleteJB, he was a very clever politician but also a good bloke who did care.
DeleteWe will miss him
ReplyDeleteCathy, I can so strongly remember his reassuring daily press conferences at the worst of Covid crisis. Andrews is in control, acting on sound advice. We will be ok.
DeleteHell, Mr Andrews is only 51 years old. I wonder if he has the ambition to become Australia's premier?
ReplyDeleteYP, that would be Prime Minister and I suggest no. He's been burnt by the daily grind.
DeleteMaybe he's planning to open a fish and chip shop instead. He could get burnt by the hot fat.
DeleteWell done, 94 days
ReplyDeleteTP, it is getting late here and my thinking is not so good. I don't get the 94 number.
DeleteNow that awesome Simon and Garfunkel song will go through my head. lol
ReplyDeleteIt's a song I've always liked, Darla.
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