Daniel Andrews
Updated: Wikipedia source
Daniel Michael Andrews (born 6 July 1972) is an Australian former politician who served as the 48th premier of Victoria from 2014 to 2023. 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 the fourth-most-tenured premier in Victorian state history. Andrews entered the Bracks Ministry in 2006, serving as the Minister for Consumer Affairs. 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. After one term in opposition, Andrews led Labor to victory in the 2014 election. He was sworn in Premier in December of that year. He led his party to an increased majority of eight 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. Significant historical events during Andrews's time as premier included the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic. Andrews has been described as "the dominant political figure of his generation in Victoria, with considerable influence nationally". Major accomplishments of his 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. Issues raised during his leadership include the heavy handed response to the pandemic, where the lockdown of public housing towers occurred.