OPINION – JASON SHIELDS
It’s a question the Labor Party may need to address as it looks to lead Victoria out of the pandemic, for it’s hard to remember a time when this state has been more divided.
Rightly or wrongly, Daniel Andrews has emerged from the past two years as the singular target for contempt among many Victorians.
And it isn’t, as he claims, just a “small angry mob” of protesters, it is parents, schoolkids and small business owners who lay the blame for their suffering at his feet, even if they haven’t stormed the steps of parliament to say so.
It’s hard to remember a more polarising figure in Victorian politics – certainly not since Jeff Kennett.
Labels such as Dictator Dan and Chairman Dan have stuck, despite the efforts of his army of social media spin doctors, as has the government being likened to the Chinese Communist Party.
It’s not all fair criticism or rational responses, but the mood also can’t be ignored by the government.
Then, on the flip side, Andrews is loved for his strength and resilience by his supporters, who are grateful to him for guiding us through the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. He has been the face of Victoria’s painful fight.
Indeed, the polls remain with him and it seems likely he will be re-elected next November, probably by another big margin.
But does that make him the right person for the job?
Or does Victoria need a new voice, irrespective of which party is in charge, as it continues to rebuild and recover?
It’s difficult to see the anti-Dan sentiment changing for a large portion of the population, so is our collective mental state better served with or without him at the helm?
The evidence of the past 19 months will show there has been more civil disorder, economic hardship and protest in Victoria than any other state.
And the continuing protests over the Victorian Government’s proposed new pandemic Bill speak to the unhealthy anger that is still bubbling along in this state.
My guess is if you asked protesters specifically what they opposed in the Bill, many would have little understanding of the legislation’s detail or intent.
Their opposition would instead come from a far simpler viewpoint: that they just hate Dan and don’t trust giving him any more power.
For that, the Premier and the Victorian Government must honestly reflect and ask themselves why so many feel this way.
While they, as a government, may see the proposed pandemic Bill as a slight bureaucratic shift, many tired and beaten Victorians do not. These people have felt powerless for almost two years, have been denied the health advice to justify their suffering and fear any threat to their future freedoms.
For them, trust is an issue. A big one.
Yet the government still ploughed ahead and drafted a new pandemic Bill, virtually in secret, negotiating with select crossbench MPs behind closed doors, before trying to rush it through parliament.
They misread the room completely. And it has spectacularly backfired.
Andrews has proven himself to be a masterful politician over many years, and remained steadfast in his messaging of “keeping us safe” during the past 18 months. For that, history will judge his performance with conflicting viewpoints.
But, as Victorians look to a future beyond this crisis, is he the leader to bring this state back together?
Or will he remain a dividing force rather than the uniting one we desperately need?
