Daniel Andrews
Daniel Andrews | |
|---|---|
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| 48th Premier of Victoria Elections: 2014, 2018 | |
| Assumed office 4 December 2014 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor | Alex Chernov Linda Dessau |
| Deputy | James Merlino |
| Preceded by | Denis Napthine |
| Leader of the Labor Party in Victoria | |
| Assumed office 3 December 2010 | |
| Deputy | Rob Hulls James Merlino |
| Preceded by | John Brumby |
| Leader of the Opposition in Victoria | |
| In office 3 December 2010 – 4 December 2014 | |
| Premier | Ted Baillieu Denis Napthine |
| Deputy | Rob Hulls James Merlino |
| Preceded by | Ted Baillieu |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Guy |
| Minister for Health | |
| In office 3 August 2007 – 2 December 2010 | |
| Premier | John Brumby |
| Preceded by | Bronwyn Pike |
| Succeeded by | David Davis |
| Minister for Gaming | |
| In office 1 December 2006 – 3 August 2007 | |
| Premier | Steve Bracks |
| Preceded by | John Pandazopoulos |
| Succeeded by | Tony Robinson |
| Minister for Consumer Affairs | |
| In office 1 December 2006 – 3 August 2007 | |
| Premier | Steve Bracks |
| Preceded by | Marsha Thomson |
| Succeeded by | Tony Robinson |
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Mulgrave | |
| Assumed office 20 November 2002 | |
| Preceded by | District re-established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Daniel Michael Andrews 6 July 1972 Williamstown, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Labor Party |
| Spouse | Catherine Andrews (m. 1998) |
| Children | 3 (Joseph, Grace and Noah) |
| Alma mater | Monash University |
| Website | danielandrews |
Daniel Michael Andrews (born 6 July 1972) is an Australian politician who is the 48th Premier of Victoria, a post he has held since 2014. He has been the leader of the Victorian branch of the Labor Party since 2010, and from 2010 to 2014 was Leader of the Opposition in that state. Andrews was elected member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Mulgrave at the 2002 election, and served as a parliamentary secretary and minister in the Bracks and Brumby Labor governments.[1][2] On 29 November 2014, he was elected Premier of Victoria after the ALP won the state election, defeating the incumbent Liberal government.[3] On 24 November 2018, he was re-elected as Premier of Victoria when Victorian Labor won the 2018 election in a landslide.[4]
Early life
Andrews was born in Williamstown, a suburb of Melbourne, to Bob Andrews (1950–2016) and Jan (born 1944). In 1983 his family moved to Wangaratta, where he was educated at the Marist Brothers' Galen Catholic College.[1] Andrews moved back to Melbourne in 1990 to attend Monash University, where he was a resident of Mannix College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and classics in 1996. After graduating, Andrews became an electorate officer for federal Labor MP Alan Griffin. He worked at the party's head office from 1999 to 2002, initially as an organiser, and then as assistant state secretary.[2]
Early political career (2002–2010)
Following his election to parliament in the Legislative Assembly seat of Mulgrave at the 2002 election, Andrews was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health in the Steve Bracks Labor government. Following the 2006 election, Andrews was appointed to the Cabinet, becoming Minister for Gaming, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs. In 2007, Andrews became Minister for Health in the John Brumby Labor government.[5] In 2008, Andrews voted in favour of abortion law reform in Victoria.[6]
As opposition leader (2010–2014)
Brumby resigned as leader of the Victorian Labor Party following the Labor defeat at the 2010 election, after 11 years of Labor governments. On 3 December 2010, Andrews was elected Victorian Labor Party leader, becoming Leader of the Opposition in Victoria, with former Deputy Premier Rob Hulls staying on as his deputy.[7] Hulls resigned in early 2012 and was replaced as deputy by James Merlino.
Labor took the lead in the polls in mid-2012 and held it for all but a few months until the election, though Andrews consistently trailed his Liberal counterparts, Ted Baillieu (2010-2013) and Denis Napthine (2013-2014) as preferred premier.
Premier of Victoria (2014–present)
Labor held 43 seats at dissolution but notionally held 40 after the redistribution of electoral boundaries. It thus needed a swing to win five seats to form government. At the election, Labor gained seven seats for a total of 47, a majority of eight.[8] The election was the first time since 1955 that an incumbent government was removed from office after a single term.
In his victory speech, Andrews declared, "The people of Victoria have today given to us the greatest of gifts, entrusted to us the greatest of responsibilities and bestowed upon us the greatest of honours. We will not let them down!"[9] He was sworn in as premier on 4 December.
On winning office, Andrews government cancelled the East West Link project and initiated the level crossing removal project and the Melbourne Metro Rail Project.
24th of November 2018 was reelected for four years with a bigger majority that has significantly hurt the liberal party and has left fears for the national election in may 2019
On 24 May 2016 Andrews made an official apology in parliament for gay men in Victoria punished during the time homosexuality was a crime in the state. It was decriminalised in 1981.[10]
In August 2018 Andrews announced plans to build a $50 billion suburban rail loop connecting all major rail lines via Melbourne Airport.[11]
Ending ambulance dispute
Shortly after his taking office in 2014 Daniel Andrews ended the state government's dispute with ambulance paramedics.[12] The dispute that had started with the previous state government did not go as far as strikes, due to the death toll that would result in such action. So the visible manifestation of the dispute was the protest style "colourful slogans"[12] on the side and back windows of the state's ambulances, which were removed after Andrews promised to end the dispute.
Port of Melbourne lease
In September 2016, the Andrews Government privatised the Port of Melbourne for a term of 50 years in return for more than $9.7 billion.[13]
Misuse of electoral officers
In September 2015, the Opposition announced it would refer the Andrews government to IBAC, the police, or a parliamentary enquiry over allegations that the Labor Party had misused taxpayer-funded electoral officers for party political campaigning in the leadup to the 2014 state election.[14] After an eight month investigation, Victoria Police said no criminal offence had been committed.[15] The Legislative Council referred the matter to the Victorian Ombudsman, after the Supreme Court confirmed it was within her jurisdiction, and the government lost several appeals against the referral.[16]
In March 2018, the Ombudsman released a report stating that Victorian Labor had wrongly used $387,842 of staff budget entitlements during the election campaign, breaching guidelines for the use of electoral staff.[17] The report identified 21 MPs (11 current MPs including six ministers) who had used the scheme, which had been devised by former Treasurer John Lenders. Andrews stated he was sorry the incidents had occurred, and that Labor had repaid the money.[16] The investigation was reopened in July.[18][19][20][21]
Euthanasia
On 20 September 2017, the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017 was introduced into the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian Parliament by the Andrews Labor Government. The bill is modelled on the recommendations of an expert panel chaired by former Australian Medical Association president Professor Brian Owler. The proposed legislation was said by proponents to be the most conservative in the world and contain 68 safeguards including measures designed to protect vulnerable people from coercion and abuse, as well as a board to review each case.[22] Labor and Coalition MPs were allowed a conscience vote on the Bill.[23][24] The bill was debated in the lower house over three sitting days, passing the Assembly without amendment on 20 October 2017 after an emotional and tense debate[25] which lasted more than 24 hours.[26] The bill was passed by 47 votes to 37.[27] The Bill finally passed through parliament, with amendments made in the Victorian Legislative Council, on 29 November 2017.[28] In passing the bill, Victoria became the first state to legislate for voluntary assisted dying. The law, presuming it receives the formality of royal assent, will come into effect in mid-2019.[28]
Personal life
Andrews married in 1998 and lives in Mulgrave with their three children. Andrews is a self-described devout and practising Roman Catholic. As Health Minister during the passing of the Abortion Law Reform Act 2008, Andrews sought counsel from senior church clergy who advised him that the act was contrary to Church teaching. Andrews replied that he "... did not intend to be a Catholic health minister. It was my intention to be a Victorian health minister".[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Hills, Ben. "The Contender". The Age, 26 June 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
- ^ a b Daniel Andrews parliamentary profile, parliament.vic.gov.au
- ^ "Daniel Andrews rises as Coalition swept from power". The Age Victoria. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
- ^ "Daniel Andrews hails Labor landslide in Victorian election 'bloodbath'". ABC News. 24 November 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
- ^ Daniel Andrews Labor profile, ALPvictoria.com.au
- ^ "Life Vote". lifevote.org.au.
- ^ Labor's Daniel Andrews endorsed as State Opposition Leader, Herald Sun, 3 December 2010.
- ^ "Electorates". ABC News.
- ^ Victoria election 2014: Labor takes back government. ABC News, 2014-11-29.
- ^ Priess, Benjamin Gay men receive apology more than 30 years after homosexuality decriminalised May 24, 2016 The Age Retrieved May 25, 2016
- ^ https://www.afr.com/news/victorian-state-election-daniel-andrews-floats-plans-for-50b-suburban-rail-loop-20180828-h14lla
- ^ a b "'War' on ambulance paramedics over, declares Victoria's Premier-elect". 1 December 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "Promise Delivered: Port Of Melbourne Leased To Remove Level Crossings And Create Thousands Of Jobs". 19 September 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
- ^ "Andrews denies Labor 'rorted' funds during election campaign". ABC News. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ "Fraud squad clears Labor Party of misusing election staff". ABC News. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Victorian Labor staff scandal: What you need to know". ABC News. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ "Victorian Labor misused $388k for election campaign staff: ombudsman". ABC News. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/police-reopen-probe-into-labor-red-shirts-rort-20180727-p4zu0g.html
- ^ https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/criminal-investigation-comes-at-a-bad-time-for-andrews-government-20180727-p4zu3b.html
- ^ https://www.sbs.com.au/news/new-vic-rorts-for-votes-investigation
- ^ https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/02/arrested-victoria-labor-party-rorts-for-votes-investigation
- ^ Edwards, Edwards (19 September 2017). "Victoria's assisted dying bill to hit Parliament, to be voted on by end of year". abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 20 September 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Premier's Department Historic Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill Now In Parliament". premier.vic.gov.au. 20 September 2017. Archived from the original on 20 September 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Johnston, Matt; Hore, Monique (20 September 2017). "Assisted dying Bill before parliament includes safeguards to prevent encouraging euthanasia". heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ^ Johnsoton, Matt; Alison, Genevieve (20 October 2017). "Voluntary euthanasia laws pass lower house in marathon session". heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
- ^ "Historic euthanasia laws pass Victoria's lower house after marathon sitting". The Age. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
- ^ "Euthanasia: Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill passes Victoria's Lower House after 26-hour debate". ABC News. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
- ^ a b "Euthanasia: Victoria becomes the first Australian state to legalise voluntary assisted dying". ABC News. 29 November 2017.
External links
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- 1972 births
- Living people
- Premiers of Victoria
- Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
- Leaders of the Opposition in Victoria (Australia)
- Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Victoria
- Monash University alumni
- Politicians from Melbourne
- People from Williamstown, Victoria
- Australian Roman Catholics
- Labor Left politicians
- 21st-century Australian politicians