Dan Andrews’ farewell, posted on X (Twitter) / @DanielAndrewsMP
After nearly a decade as Victoria’s premier, Daniel “Dan” Andrews announced that he would be stepping down from the role, effective from 5pm on Wednesday.
Andrews was first elected to Victorian parliament in 2002 as member for Mulgrave, and by 2010, he was chosen to lead the Victorian Labor Party.
His first term as Victoria’s premier in November 2014, and was re-elected in 2018 and again in 2022.
During his latest election campaign, he had promised to see his next four-year term to completion, but just one year in, the state leader announced his sudden resignation.
“It was true then, but I changed my mind,” said Andrews, regarding his earlier statements.
Dan Andrews is best known, perhaps, for his controversial response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, which saw Melbourne in lockdown for a total of 262 days during the global health crisis.
The restrictions were the most severe in Australia, and the lockdown was one of the longest in the world.
Both criticism and support of Andrews was fierce during this time, with detractors coining the nickname “Dictator Dan”.
On the other hand, his supporters proclaimed their approval with the slogan “I stand with Dan”.
Andrews’ extended lockdowns led him to address the press on a near-daily basis, typically appearing in a North Face branded jacket, which was noted and led to widespread memes and jokes of him being a brand ambassador.
Andrews even found himself in 12th place in the 2020 Triple J Hottest 100, after electronic group Mashd N Kutcher sampled him famously saying “Get On The Beers” during a press interview and remixed the quote into a dance track.
Andrews’ most recent controversy involved his cancellation of the Commonwealth Games, which were planned to be held across the state in 2026.
The cancellation came amid concerns about the cost of hosting the games, with Andrews claiming that projected costs had risen from $2.6 billion to between $6 and $7 billion.
The decision was criticized by sporting bodies and the regional towns which were expected to benefit from tourism from the games, and the Victorian government handed over $380 million to compensate cancelling the event.
However, Andrews’ nine-year term is proof that many still held the premier in high esteem, despite his history of divisive decisions.
Fans of Andrews have praised his contributions to a number policies widely considered to be socially progressive.
These include the institution of safe zones around abortion clinics, banning gay conversion practices, and the decriminalization of sex work.
Andrews has also issued a formal apology for the men and women convicted under historical anti-gay laws, and made steps towards treaty negotiations with First Nations people.
Andrews wrote a farewell statement on X (Twitter) following the announcement.
“Leading this state has been the greatest of gifts, every single day. Thank you, Victoria.”
