Daniel Andrews

Andrews was born in Williamstown, a southwestern suburb of Melbourne, to Bob (1950–2016) and Jan Andrews (born 1944).

The election was the first time since 1955 that an incumbent government was removed from office after a single term.

In his victory speech, Andrews declared, "The people of Victoria have today given to us the greatest of gifts, entrusted to us the greatest of responsibilities, and bestowed upon us the greatest of honours. We will not let them down!"

He was sworn in as premier on 4 December.

On winning office, Andrews government cancelled the East West Link project and initiated the level crossing removal project and the Melbourne Metro Rail Project.

Daniel Michael Andrews (born 6 July 1972) is an Australian former politician who served as the 48th premier of Victoria from 2014 to 2023.

It was decriminalised in 1981.

In 1983, his family moved from Glenroy to Wangaratta in northeastern Victoria, where he was educated at the Marist Brothers' Galen Catholic College.

Andrews moved back to Melbourne in 1990 to attend Monash University, where he was a resident of Mannix College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and classics in 1996.

After graduating, Andrews became an electorate officer for federal Labor MP Alan Griffin.

He worked at the party's head office from 1999 to 2002, initially as an organiser, and then as assistant state secretary.

Andrews is a member of the Socialist Left faction of the Labor Party.

Following his election to parliament in the Legislative Assembly seat of Mulgrave at the 2002 election, Andrews was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health in the Steve Bracks Labor government.

He entered the Bracks Ministry in 2006, serving as the Minister for Consumer Affairs.

Following the 2006 election, Andrews was appointed to the Cabinet, becoming Minister for Gaming, Minister for Consumer Affairs, and Minister Assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs.

In 2007, Andrews became Minister for Health in the John Brumby Labor government.

In 2008, Andrews voted in favour of abortion law reform in Victoria.

As Health Minister during the passing of the Abortion Law Reform Act 2008, Andrews sought counsel from senior church clergy who advised him that the act was contrary to Church teaching.

Andrews replied that he "... did not intend to be a Catholic health minister. It was my intention to be a Victorian health minister".

He held office as the leader of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 2010 and was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the district of Mulgrave from 2002 until his resignation in 2023.

Andrews is the longest-serving Labor premier and fourth-most-tenured premier in Victorian state history.

The following year he was later appointed Minister for Health in the Brumby Ministry until the defeat of the government at the 2010 election by Ted Baillieu.

Whilst in opposition, Andrews was elected Leader of the Labor Party in Victoria, and became Leader of the Opposition.

Brumby resigned as leader of the Victorian Labor Party following the Labor defeat at the 2010 election, after 11 years of Labor governments.

On 3 December 2010, Andrews was elected Victorian Labor Party leader, becoming Leader of the Opposition in Victoria, with former Deputy Premier Rob Hulls staying on as his deputy.

Hulls resigned in early 2012 and was replaced as deputy by James Merlino.

Labor took the lead in the polls in mid-2012 and held it for all but a few months until the election, though Andrews consistently trailed his Liberal counterparts, Ted Baillieu (2010–2013) and Denis Napthine (2013–2014) as preferred premier.

Labor held 43 seats at dissolution but notionally held 40 after the redistribution of electoral boundaries.

It thus needed a swing to win five seats to form government.

At the election, Labor gained seven seats for a total of 47, a majority of two.

After one term in opposition, Andrews led Labor to victory in the 2014 election.

He was sworn in Premier in December of that year.

Shortly after his taking office in 2014, Daniel Andrews ended the pay dispute with ambulance paramedics, which had started with the previous government.

On 24 May 2016 Andrews made an official apology in parliament for gay men in Victoria punished during the time homosexuality was a crime in the state.

He led his party to an increased majority of ten seats in the lower house during the 2018 election, and to a third landslide victory at the 2022 election again increasing the party's majority in the house.

In August 2018 Andrews announced plans to build a $50 billion suburban rail loop connecting all major rail lines via Melbourne Airport.

Significant historical events during Andrews's time as premier included the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic.

He is regarded a prominent figure among progressive politicians in Australia.

Major accomplishments of the Andrews Government included the 'Big Build' infrastructure projects, rental law reforms, voluntary assisted dying, legalisation of medicinal cannabis, adoption reforms, sex work decriminalisation, first nations treaties, safe injection rooms, compensation reform for victims of institutionalised child-sex abuse, and the introduction of exclusion zones for protests outside abortion clinics.

Major political liabilities during his time as premier included the red shirts scandal, public housing tower lockdowns, and rising public debt.