Victorians no longer ‘Stand with Dan’. Necessarily, of course, given that the Covid-era authoritarian who reigned over the world’s longest lockdowns has scuttled off into retirement. Even so, the Svengali spell that Andrews’ Labor government exercised over the state has clearly evaporated. Like John Cain in 1990, Andrews wrecked the joint and bolted, leaving a hapless female deputy to deal with the fallout.
And, like Joan Kirner, the fall girl hails from Labor’s left faction – which in ordinary peoples’ terms, means far left. So, forgive me if I struggle to muster sympathy as her government circles the bowl.
Jacinta Allan has lost Dan Andrews’ hard core group of followers, sounding an alarm bell for Labor hardheads worried her popularity could be in freefall and her government imperilled.
Anyone who had the unpleasant experience of dealing with the ‘I Stand with Dan’ mob on social media will recall just how feral they were. They were Red Guards with keyboards (thankfully, instead of guns and bludgeons). Given how closely the Andrews government micromanaged public opinion during Covid, not to mention the staggering size of his personal staff, there’s more than a whiff of suspicion that he was aping his Glorious Leader, Xi, with his very own knockoff 50 Cent Army.
Whatever it was, the social media worm has well and truly turned in Victoria.
The Victorian Premier is being trolled relentlessly on her social media accounts, with only limited support as anti-Labor voters condemn the government’s policy and political performance, personally attacking Ms Allan […]
Mr Andrews’ Facebook page still has close to a million followers, well over double Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, while Ms Allan has attracted just 57,000 followers on her regular page, which is frequently swamped by anger and criticism.
Feh, just social media, you say? Perhaps: but Labor strategists – watching plunging poll numbers – are getting worried.
The criticism is not absolute but has been noted by party strategists.
Labor insiders are also questioning whether the quality of her social media is good enough, with some at times odd posts that include a grey cat being shown a tour of Melbourne’s new underground system and a clunky melody of songs while Ms Allan and two senior ministers – Danny Pearson and Harriet Shing – are showing off a new road.
Like her federal Labor counterpart, PM Anthony Albanese, nothing Allan does or says is cutting through the negativity.
Ms Allan has made a series of policy announcements on housing with a direct pitch at younger voters designed to kick-start the government which has been floundering under the weight of the cost of living crisis and a blown budget.
At this stage, all that’s saving Labor is the absolutely pathetic Pesutto opposition.
Published polls suggest Labor could be heading for defeat in 2026 but the government has been aided by Liberal Party incompetence, with Opposition leader John Pesutto awaiting the results of the Moira Deeming defamation case.
If the Liberals can ditch Pesutto and all the weak, wet, woke bullshit he stands for, Allan is toast.
A Labor hardhead said that the signs were becoming increasingly clear that Ms Allan was in dire political trouble.
“There is an argument we are 18 months behind Queensland. I think it’s turned,’’ he said.
“There is a risk it’s going to be carnage for the next two years. Everyone is angry. Jacinta doesn’t have Dan’s political skills.
“It’s not the slick operation it was. In fact, it’s starting to look a bit sad and desperate. The social media campaigns are terrible.’’
Labor has been in power for 21 of the past 25 years but is confronting a wall of anger over housing affordability.
As in Victoria, so in federal politics. As the backlash over Anthony Albanese’s luxury mansion purchase shows, voter anger over housing affordability is white hot.
And federal opposition leader Peter Dutton is no wilting, wet, lettuce leaf like John Pesutto.
