Dan’s $2m Man Another Labor Mate

There’s no end to the gravy train for Labor mates in Victoria. Including $2m awarded without competitive tender to a firm run by a former Labor candidate, to run a secretive spin doctor program while Victorians were under virtual house arrest.

A Labor strategist who boasts that “public opinion is a fluid thing that we can squeeze, pump and stir” has been paid almost $2m by Daniel Andrews’ own department to run a secretive project to monitor the views of Victorians.

This is on top of Andrews’s government awarding critical hotel quarantine services, again allegedly without competitive tender, to a firm run by long-time Labor donors and a former vice-president of the party. Victorian bureaucrats are also accused of taking kickbacks and running cover for contractors who weren’t bothering to properly clean Melbourne’s trains during the height of the state’s outbreak.

Despite Victorians bankrolling the confidential activity charting public sentiment and ­reaction to policies, the research will remain under wraps, with the Department of Premier and Cabinet refusing to release it.

In December last year, QDOS Research was handed a $1.1m contract, without a competitive tender process. The deal expires in October 2022, just days before the government enters caretaker mode ahead of the November state election.

The Australian has confirmed QDOS was also paid $786,555 to conduct research for Mr ­Andrews’ department between 2016-2018.

QDOS’ mission statement could have been written by 1984’s O’Brien:

QDOS[…]promotes itself on its website as a Labor strategy firm, trading on its ability to shape public opinion, change public behaviour, win elections and develop “persuasive” language for clients.

In a section headlined QDOS Values, the firm’s website states: “Fortunately public opinion is a fluid thing that we can squeeze, pump and stir, and sometimes just opening a little gate lets it rush into a brand new space[…]

“The tricky bit is figuring out how to change what they think and how they behave.”

“I tell you, Winston, that reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Not in the individual mind, which can make mistakes, and in any case soon perishes: only in the mind of the Party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the Party holds to be the truth, is truth. It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party.”

O’Brien, 1984, George Orwell.

Mr Andrews is keeping the ­research, advice and reports compiled by QDOS secret from Victorians[…]

Responding to questions from The Australian, the DPC confirmed the seven-figure contract was handed to QDOS without a tender process[…]

Labor figures said it was possible QDOS had been involved in helping craft Mr Andrews’ public messaging during the corona­virus pandemic.

Like other state premiers, Andrews has been relishing the COVID spotlight. His daily televised addresses are the sort of cult-of-personality spotlight many dictators could only dream of. It’s certainly been disquieting to have several phone calls to family in Victoria interrupted by, “Ooh, got to go! Dan’s about to be on the telly.” And I thought fans of “The Bill” were bad.

Yet Andrews still has the chutzpah to deny that he’s been parroting his spin doctors’ bullshit. “I’m no Manchurian Candidate,” he says. Perhaps he’s just Ron Burgundy without the hair-do.

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