Fresh blow for Dan Andrews statue as the tribute is called into question over claims of a 'possible cover-up'
Plans to make Andrews the fifth premier to be given a permanent statue have been contested by 12,644 Australians in a petition tabled in the Victorian parliament.
'We respectfully urge the government to cancel this proposal as it is inappropriate to erect statues of living politicians,' the petition said.
'Public monuments should be reserved for individuals whose legacies have been tested over time and are broadly regarded as unifying.
'There remains unresolved allegations regarding Daniel Andrews' management and handling of human rights during the state's pandemic response, lockdowns, and use of enforcement powers.
'These issues should be fully resolved before any public honour is considered.'
Liberal MP Moira Deeming presented the petition, which noted Andrews' highly-debated involvement in a car crash with a teenage cyclist in 2013.
'Questions persist regarding Daniel Andrews' actions, including delays in reporting the incident and concerns about a possible political cover–up, raising serious doubts about accountability in public office,' the petition continued.
'Spending taxpayer money on a political monument, particularly for a figure whose legacy remains contested, is inappropriate during a time of economic hardship and community division.
'Doing so risks deepening distrust and undermining public confidence in government priorities.
'The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the government to cancel any plans to commission or install a statue of former Premier the Hon. Daniel Andrews.'
Andrews is set to be the fifth Victorian premier to receive recognition with a statue, alongside John Cain Jr, Rupert Hamer, Henry Bolte and Albert Dunstan who all stand on Treasury Place in the city's CBD.
However, details of the cost of his statue and its planned location remain under wraps. When pressed, Andrews said those decisions were up to his successor.
Victorian Premier Jacina Allan told reporters this week that the process of installing the Dan Andrews statue is underway.
'Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett introduced a policy to install statues of former Victorian premiers who serve 3,000 days or more in office, in recognition of their long service to Victoria,' she said.
'The existing statues are located outside 1 Treasury Place and include former premiers Rupert Hamer, Henry Bolte, Albert Dunstan and John Cain Jr.
Parliamentary standing orders permit the debate of petitions which receive more than 10,000 signatures, with a minister to provide a response within 30 days.
Andrews was premier for almost nine years before he resigned in late 2023.
He has since taken on a new role at Orygen, a mental health organisation.
His handling of the Covid pandemic and use of enforcement powers were called into question after Melbourne remained in lockdown for 245 days, the longest in Australia and large parts of the world.
A bungled hotel quarantine scheme by the Andrews Government has been blamed for the deaths of 768 people.
The families of those victims publicly condemned Andrews last year when he was awarded the nation's highest honour – the Companion of the Order of Australia.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Pro-Palestine protest LIVE updates: Sydney Harbour Bridge is shut down ahead of 50,000-strong demonstration - as cops issue final warning
'Do not come to the city' NSW Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Adam Johnson urged people to avoid Sydney's CBD where possible. He warned 'the risk is the numbers [of protesters] are unknown' 'If you're not going to engage in the assembly I would suggest you do not come to the city,' Johnson said. 'There's going to be major disruptions. 'But if you choose to come in and participate in the assembly, please do so reasonably, lawfully, listen to police instructions, listen to the marshals who are leading the procession as well.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
See the moment TV star James Hooper crashes into parked cars while allegedly more than FIVE times over the limit in shocking new video
Dramatic footage has revealed the moment high-profile TV reporter James Hooper allegedly crashed his ute into three parked cars while more than five times over the legal drink-drive limit. Hooper was sacked from his role with Fox Sports after the incident, which occurred shortly before 7.30pm last Thursday in the inner-west Sydney suburb of Leichhardt. Police allege Hooper recorded a result of 0.253 when he was tested for alcohol. Now CCTV footage has shown the moment Hooper's vehicle allegedly collided with parked cars. The video, which appears to have been taken from a camera attached to a house near the site of the accident, shows sparks flying at the moment of impact. Further footage taken by Channel Nine reveals damage to the parked vehicles. Vision from Channel Nine shows the damage to another vehicle after Hooper's ute was involved in the alleged accident last Thursday night Shortly after the police charges came to light, Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley confirmed that the chief rugby league reporter would be leaving the NRL broadcast partner effective immediately. 'James has been a great contributor since he joined us in 2016, but he's also battled some significant personal issues from time to time,' Crawley said. 'In speaking to him today, James also acknowledges that things need to change for him.' Hooper admitted that he was dealing with personal issues. 'I've let the game of rugby league, my employers, my wife and kids down terribly,' he told News Corp. 'Clearly I'm not handling the tough side of the job. 'Hopefully this is the punch between the eyes that will set me straight.' Hooper spent many years as a reporter and columnist for The Daily Telegraph. The 47-year-old (pictured appearing on Fox Sports) said, 'I've let the game of rugby league, my employers, my wife and kids down terribly' He then moved to Fox Sports, featuring on shows such as NRL 360 and as a sideline commentator for NRL matches. His work spanned print, online, and broadcast, making him one of News Corp's most prominent rugby league voices. Hooper told News Corp that he would be seeking professional treatment following this incident. 'About 7.30pm yesterday [Thursday 31 July 2025], police were called to Allen Street, Leichhardt, following reports of a crash,' NSW Police said in a statement. 'Officers attached to Leichhardt Highway Patrol attended to find a Ford utility had collided with three parked cars before coming to a stop. 'The driver – a 47-year-old man – was located nearby and allegedly returned a positive breath test before he was taken to Newtown Police Station where he returned a breath analysis of 0.253. 'He was charged with drive with high range PCA and not give particulars to owner of damaged property [three counts]. 'The man was issued a court attendance notice to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Monday 15 September 2025.'
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Bad men problem: Gareth Ward and Mark Latham leave NSW parliament in unchartered territory
The New South Wales parliament has a problem with men behaving badly. But more to the point, it seems to have an inability to deal with it. On Tuesday, the parliament will try to deal with two very different cases that share a common consequence: damage to its reputation as an institution. Despite being a convicted rapist in custody awaiting sentence, Gareth Ward, the MP for Kiama, remains a member of the Legislative Assembly, drawing a base salary of more than $170,000 courtesy of NSW taxpayers. Labor plans to move a motion to have him expelled when parliament resumes on Tuesday and the opposition has said it will support it. Expelling Ward will almost certainly lead to more litigation, especially as the government will probably try to call a byelection in his south coast seat soon after. Sign up: AU Breaking News email But first to backtrack a little. Most politicians being investigated or facing criminal charges choose to resign, or their parties put the pressure on the MP to draw a line under their faltering political career. But Ward has toughed it out and continues to claim his innocence, despite being convicted for serious sex offences against two young men. He was suspended and left the Liberal party in 2022 after being charged with sex offences. He then ran as an independent in the 2023 state election and was returned by the voters of Kiama. Now that he has been convicted, he faces a potential sentence of more than five years. Under section 13A of the NSW constitution, a person is ineligible to be an MP if they are convicted of an offence punishable by five years or more. But it's only counted as a conviction once the person has reached the end of the appeals process and has not had their conviction overturned, constitutional expert Prof Anne Twomey says – and Ward has confirmed he plans to appeal the verdict. The appeals process could take years. The other route is expulsion. The NSW constitution does not give a specific power to expel a member, but Twomey says there is an inherent power for the NSW parliament to expel an MP to protect itself and its proper functioning. This appears to be where the premier, Chris Minns, is headed – but it is relatively untested territory. The courts have ruled that expulsion must not be as punishment, but it can be done to protect public confidence in the integrity of the parliament. If Ward is expelled, a byelection would need to be held to replace him, which only adds to the complications. Would Ward seek an injunction to prevent the byelection while he appeals both the expulsion and the criminal conviction? Understandably, there are few cases to guide the way – the last time an MP was expelled from the NSW lower house was in 1917. But what is certain is that unless Ward resigns voluntarily, litigation appears inevitable. The first stop will be the supreme court, followed by a possible high court appeal. For those who want a deeper dive, Twomey's podcast, Constititional Clarion, explores all the twists and turns that could emerge over coming weeks. The controversial independent upper house member Mark Latham is also under the microscope but for entirely different reasons. The former One Nation MP is under scrutiny over his use of privilege within the chamber and his general standard of behaviour, which Labor has been calling out of late. Has the Minns government suddenly found a new moral rectitude? Or is the premier motivated by more base political considerations? Latham has been working with the opposition and crossbench to block changes to workers compensation legislation that the government dearly wants passed. In parliament, Minns has called him 'one of the most shameful bigots in NSW' who has an 'odious Twitter account', which he deployed for a 'disgusting homophobic attack' on independent MP Alex Greenwich. More recently prurient allegations about Latham's personal life have spilled into the public domain due to a relationship breakdown, which have added fuel to the fire of outrage. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion These are the subject of a case seeking a domestic violence order that he is vehemently contesting. As the relationship degenerated, allegations from court filings including leaked texts about female MPs and other unsavoury exchanges have found their way into the public domain. Latham's behaviour raises questions of respect for the parliament and female MPs, and whether the behaviour is appropriate in any workplace. Latham allegedly covertly photographed female workmates and shared the images with derogatory commentary. If true, in any other workplace, that would at the least prompt counselling, a warning or possibly dismissal. Then there is Latham's use of parliamentary privilege. Privilege exists to allow politicians to speak freely without fear of defamation, but Latham arguably pushes its limits. He is a blunt, borderline-rude interrogator of witnesses before committees. In the chamber he has used privilege to attack his enemies, such as Greenwich, who won a $140,000 defamation settlement against Latham in 2024, and domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty. Last month Latham outraged colleagues by talking about Greenwich's medical records, which had been produced as part of a separate case Greenwich has brought against Latham in the NSW civil and administrative tribunal. But can the upper house actually mete out a punishment or persuade Latham to alter his behaviour? The answer is probably no. Labor plans to move two motions in the next sitting period, which starts on Tuesday: one relating to a specific breach of privilege and another more general censure. Labor will allege that Latham breached privilege in relation to certain documents about the former police commissioner Karen Webb and investigations into gifts of gin that were produced on the basis that only parliamentarians could view them. Labor wants Latham referred to the privileges committee for breaching the order, something he disputes. The allegations of exposing medical records, taking covert photos and perhaps other actions are likely to be wrapped up into a censure motion condemning his behaviour. But as for meaningful outcomes, don't hold your breath. The privileges committee could recommend an apology or perhaps a suspension, but that is rare. Labor lost control of this powerful committee a month ago after a dispute with the crossbench and the opposition. They combined to cut a Labor member so control of the now seven-member committee is out of Labor's hands. And what of a censure? It is likely to be little more than a slap on the wrist for Latham, while he enjoys the notoriety and attention that this latest saga will bring. The problem for the NSW parliament is that its rules to set and enforce appropriate standards of behaviour are hopelessly outdated, its processes are archaic and it has failed to implement many of the recommendations from a report by Liz Broderick completed two years ago. The federal parliament has moved to establish a standards commission with real teeth to fine or even suspend parliamentarians for poor behaviour outside the chamber. It is still to be tested but it is a start. Instead, in NSW, we will spend weeks on the immediate crises that will further lower the parliament's standing in the public eye, without dealing with the real problem of cultural change that is sorely needed.
