OPINION
Daniel Andrews changed Victoria enormously in his time as premier. It is to be hoped it changes back now he is leaving.
Victoria has become a state where ideology outweighs logic, where retribution is a political weapon, and where accountability and transparency may as well be badly named racehorses.
At times, our departing premier has seemed more trouble magnet than a steady and considered leader.
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There were always questions and suspicions.
Police failed to meet critical standards in the investigation of a 2013 car crash when he said his wife was driving his government car. He explained, and many did not believe him.
A few years later he fell down stairs when on holiday, and had to take three months off. His explanation was one of a simple accident. Many did not believe him.
Such was the climate of spin and lack of transparency through his government that when the premier said something happened many looked for the real story.
Even as he resigned yesterday, some asked what dirt was about to hit which fan. Some disbelieved his public reasoning.
He was Chairman Dan, and Teflon Dan.
During the appalling "red shirts rort" public money was misused to help an election campaign.
Junior staff were arrested and questioned by police. The ministers in charge of them were not, and refused to co-operate when asked.That in itself was an outrage.
Almost half the Cabinet refused to cooperate with a police inquiry into misuse of public money. Teflon won.
He cancelled the building of the East West Link, which he said would not cost any money in compensation. It cost over $1 billion not to build the road. Nothing stuck.
Various integrity officers in various ways questioned his methods, including contracts for union mates. Nobody seemed to care.
Through it all Telfon Dan blustered, threatened, sniped and spun. And nothing stuck.
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But the truly disturbing sight for anybody who believes in democracy was Chairman Dan at work during the dark days of the pandemic.
World record lockdowns were ugly power overreach, but the worst was the deaths of 801 people, lost to COVID because of appalling government bungling of hotel quarantine.
That must sit painfully on the conscience of Dan Andrews and anybody involved. Hotel quarantine worked across the rest of the country and was far better managed. Most of those people need not have died.
The COVID crisis showed a government dominated by spin and verbal trickery. Kids were banned from playgrounds. Police were blamed for requesting policies they did not request.
Andrews mocked NSW for having softer COVID restrictions, but in the end more Victorians died from the pandemic than NSW, which has a larger population.
Even today some Victorians see him as the hero of the pandemic. He wasn't, he was power-hungry and autocratic. Democratic government ceased and the Cabinet was ostracised. And he has dodged accountability, aided by his mate the PM, ever since.
Through the years enemies were ostracised, as I can personally illustrate.
For six years I was in "Dan's freezer". He refused to talk to me or more importantly my audience. Then my ABC counterpart was sent to sit in the cold with me, and even Melbourne's Lord Mayor councillor Sally Capp was ostracised for some perceived "offence".
READ MORE: 'The body language was there': Reactions to Daniel Andrews' exit
For six years I was in "Dan's freezer". He refused to talk to me or more importantly my audience.
His daily style has been to intimidate the media, seduce them, or ban them. He has campaigned powerfully through social media, presenting slogans instead of policy detail. That after all, meant fewer difficult questions.
He has belittled opponents and threatened critics. He created a culture of fear amongst many of the so-called leading citizens that they became afraid to cross him.
He kowtowed to the Chinese government and woe betide anybody who asked why.
He ran down hospitals and denied the blood-splattered reality.
He shed dodgy ministers and factional enemies at an alarming rate.
But he won three elections. That qualifies him as a clever politician. It does not make him a great leader. Yes, he did some worthwhile things. Nobody could question his work ethic.
He created a climate where sensible euthanasia laws could be introduced. He eradicated dangerous level crossings, albeit by bullying residents into accepting "sky rail", elevated train lines going past bedroom windows, and he identified the need for significant infrastructure works.
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Tunnels were dug or half-dug. Roads were built. The work was needed but the management was appalling. Cost blowouts and delays have been obscene. As the projects staggered on basic roads became riddled by potholes, as the maintenance budget was cut.
Debt levels have become frightening. Andrews leaves Victoria with debt predicted to pass $200 billion, more than NSW, Queensland and Tasmania combined. He also leaves with several corruption probes pending, one on politicization of the public service.
Now, whoever replaces Daniel Andrews may well find themselves herding cats. Typically, when a dictatorial and dominant leader steps down the underlings struggle to reassert themselves.
The power vacuum can be destructive. The new premier is likely to be Jacinta Allen, his deputy. She is a different style of leader, and once was more balanced and accountable.
She must not follow the Andrews template. Victoria needs to return to an era of decent government. A government where integrity is expected not dodged.
A government where transparency is the expectation, not an irritation. Where questions are answered and critics debated not decapitated.
We've had enough of the bullying, the spin and the intimidation.
What Victoria needs is honesty, openness and accountability. What Victoria needs is a re-set, new start, a symbolic rejuvenation.
First Labor will wallow in glowing and inaccurate tributes.
Then they must forget Andrews and his style, dump some of his bloody-minded madness, and govern with decency, common sense and fairness.
Do that, and Victoria has new hope. After nine years of Andrews it is the least the people deserve.
Neil Mitchell broadcasts from 8.30am weekdays on 3AW.
