The government confirms plans to honour the world’s longest lockdown leader with a bronze monument.
In a move sure to spark both admiration and eye rolls, it’s been confirmed that Daniel Andrews will soon be immortalised in bronze. Yes, you heard right – “Dictator Dan” as some called him, the man who kept Melbourne under house arrest longer than anyone thought possible, is getting his very own statue.
Plans are underway to place the former premier’s likeness somewhere in Melbourne. Where, exactly? Well, that’s still anyone’s guess. Will it be among other former premiers like John Cain Jr, Rupert Hamer, Henry Bolte, and Albert Dunstan at Treasury Place? Or will it be tucked away somewhere less prominent, perhaps near a quarantine hotel? The government isn’t saying, nor are they revealing just how much of the taxpayers’ money will be spent on this fine piece of art – though sculptor Peter Corlett has hinted it could be a six-figure sum. Well, who wouldn’t pay top dollar for a bronze reminder of the world’s longest lockdown?
Andrews, who clocked over 3000 days in office, is apparently eligible for this honour under a policy dreamed up by former premier Jeff Kennett. Ironically, Kennett never hit the 3000-day milestone himself – a feat only Daniel Andrews could pull off, perhaps thanks to those extended days of lockdown when time seemed to stand still.
Of course, the announcement is already stirring up controversy. Opposition finance spokeswoman Jess Wilson questioned whether a statue is really what Victoria needs right now, given the state’s soaring cost-of-living crisis, a health system on life support, and rising crime. “It’s nice that Andrews gets a bronze monument while the rest of us are busy paying for it,” she quipped. Touché.
Meanwhile, some are calling for the statue to honour a leading female Victorian instead. But for now, it seems Andrews’ NorthFace jacket – famously worn during his marathon pandemic press conferences – could be getting its own sculpted tribute. What a way to be remembered: fists in the air, a symbol of victory, or maybe a plea for just one more lockdown extension.
Families of those affected by the government’s bungled pandemic response are, unsurprisingly, less than thrilled. For many, the statue will be a painful reminder of the 768 lives lost in the hotel quarantine disaster. Frank Micallef, who lost both his parents during the pandemic, said the whole thing makes him “sick to my stomach.”
But hey, love him or loathe him, Andrews is set to become a permanent fixture in Melbourne’s landscape – just like those daily press conferences we all tuned in for.
