David “Jim” Penman – the “Jim” of Jim’s Mowing – is nobody’s fool. An historian who graduated with Honours from La Trobe university, Penman started mowing lawns to get by while completing his PhD. Nearly 40 years later, his Jim’s Group is an international success story. Penman describes his personal ideology as “conservative liberalism” and neoliberalism.
So, it’s no surprise that Penman is less than happy with socialist Victorian Premier Daniel “Dictator Dan” Andrews’s sledgehammer approach to the Wuhan plague.
Jim Penman, founder of Jim’s Group, says for Premier Daniel Andrews to claim that opening pet grooming services while keeping private lawn mowing companies closed has anything to do with health is “garbage … this is grubby, rotten politics.”
Little about Andrews’s policy decisions has passed the sniff test. Victorians were allowed to go to Bunnings, but not visit their mothers for Mother’s Day. Solitary anglers and golfers were monstered by police, while tens of thousands of BLM protesters were allowed to march unhindered. Then there was the unbelievable stupidity of handing the running of hotel quarantine to a dodgy diversity hire.
At this point, it’s beginning to just look like Andrews is randomly throwing darts at a wall papered with policy brain-farts.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Sunday pet grooming services would be able to operate, despite the fact that bars, restaurants, and private lawn mowing services could still not run.
“What health expert in the world is going to say that taking your dog to a salon where you’ve got multiple people working is more safe than having it done at your own home privately,” Mr Penman told Sky News Paul Murray.
“Absolutely ludicrous.
“If there’s one explanation only, it’s basically a grubby a political deal with Andy Meddick of the Animal Welfare league who’s given the premier six months more of dictatorial power.”
Penman is referring to the one-vote decision to extend Andrews’s “State of Emergency”, which grants the premier unchallenged power.
Like Melbourne’s curfew, which was not advised by health authorities as Andrews falsely claimed, the ban on private lawnmowers working is a nonsensical decision that Andrews refuses to explain.
I’m NOT with stupid. Jim Penman has thrown down the gauntlet to Victorian premier Daniel Andrews. The BFD. Photoshop by Lushington Brady.
Premier Daniel Andrews will not let private lawnmowers work, having declared them a non-essential service; he has however, been allowing council lawnmowers and gardeners to continue working.
“He’s refused to give a justification, he’s refused to explain why council gardeners can work safely in groups, and our guys can’t work singularly doing the same job,” Mr Penman said.
“This is not health, this is politics, this is nasty, grubby, power grabbing politics by a man who cares nothing for the health of his community.”
Mr Penman added that the $3 billion stimulus package given businesses by the government was a “sick joke”.
“(Premier Daniel Andrew) throws us out of work, destroys our businesses for no reason, no reason at all, no benefit to the public health, tosses us a few dollars and we’re expected to say ‘oh thank you wonderful premier’,” he said.
“This is absolutely obscene.
“I can’t tell you how furious I am at what’s going on.
“I cannot believe we’ve got this elected dictator, and nobody can control him, nobody.”
And that’s just how “Dan Jong-Un” likes it.
If you enjoyed this BFD article please consider sharing it with your friends.
