A new Victorian premier is set to be decided today after the resignation of Daniel Andrews. Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan is shaping up as the favourite to take the job.
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00:00 Daniel Andrews has been one of the most dominant figures in Victoria's political history.
00:06 Not since Geoff Kennett has a political leader been so polarising in this state.
00:10 Despite some very vocal critics, Daniel Andrews results speak for themselves.
00:14 He won three elections, the last two with thumping majorities.
00:18 He leaves a big legacy, building tens of billions of dollars worth of infrastructure and pushing
00:23 social reforms including assisted dying, which other states have followed suit.
00:28 His election results, as I said, speak for themselves.
00:31 But there has been frequent criticisms from the state's anti-corruption watchdogs about
00:36 his government's integrity track record.
00:39 But none of it has ever stuck.
00:41 He's been an unrivalled political communicator and he's run a centrally controlled government
00:46 with all decisions going through his office.
00:48 Sometimes much the chagrin of ministers would have liked some more autonomy.
00:52 The challenge for the next leader is how they will run this government.
00:55 Will they follow Daniel Andrews and run a centrally controlled government or will cabinet
00:59 ministers have a little bit more to say?
01:02 Who's going to be the next leader is going to start to be decided today.
01:06 It's likely to be Jacinta Allen, Daniel Andrews' deputy, who hails from Bendigo East and was
01:10 elected all the way back in 1999 when she was in her 20s.
01:14 The jockeying between the factions is going on right now, particularly over who will be
01:19 deputy and whether anyone will challenge Jacinta Allen for the leadership position.
01:23 Should that happen, the process to elect the next premier will take months with the Labor
01:27 membership set to have their say.
01:29 But right now it's just Jacinta Allen as the sole nominee.
01:33 How she runs her government and whoever runs this government will have a big challenge.
01:36 There's lots to do.
01:38 Tackling Victoria's net debt, which is now up to $171 billion in three years' time, is
01:43 a big challenge and making sure those major projects come in at cost is a big challenge.
01:48 There's also some other social and political reforms that need to be addressed, including
01:52 raising the age of criminal responsibility for children from 10 to 12 and delivering
01:57 on Melbourne's safe injecting room in the CBD.
02:00 Lots to do, a big challenge forever to do it, and it goes without saying that filling
02:05 Daniel Andrews' boots is a very big challenge.
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