The Australian state of Victoria, with special attention to the city of Melbourne, has been facing nothing short of what could be called a landscape of apocalyptic proportions. Recently, the state which has become known as ‘the place to be’, with Melbourne ranking amongst one of the most liveable cities in the world, has been making headlines all over the world for its endless lockdowns, violent riots, vaccine mandates, and even a magnitude 5.9 earthquake, which is the biggest Victorian earthquake on record.

Apart from the occasion of an unpredictable natural phenomenon, obviously, when the once enjoyed apparent prosperity of a place starts to quickly give way to chaos, pain, segregation, and tyranny, it is very natural that the people of such place start to ask the question ‘where did all go wrong?’ It is in the process of asking this question that the figure of Daniel Andrews emerges, the captain of the Victorian ship, as a very plausible explanation for why the situation is the way it is in Victoria right now. At least this is the way many Australians understand the current scenario, with the hashtag #DanNext becoming one of the top ten trending topics on Twitter after Gladys Berejiklian resigned from the premiership of New South Wales, and a petition from the website change.org asking for Andrews resignation gathering more than 175,000 signatures to date, 25,000 short of its goal.

Whilst it is true that the lives of many in Australia, especially those living in other states and territories of the commonwealth, haven’t been as affected by the Andrews government as the state of Victoria has, there are significant trends that show all Australians should be deeply concerned about having a person like the Daniel Andrews featuring in the Australian political scenario.

The issue of rapid mass exodus

Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that Victoria lost approximately 43,000 people to other Australian states and other countries since the beginning of the pandemic. Whilst all other states and territories registered growth during the period of the pandemic, with Queensland topping the list after welcoming more than 43,000 people, Victoria, somehow, managed to break a population loss record that stood since 1981. Before one attempts to blame those results on the Coronavirus, it is important to remember that it is not as if Victoria has been the only state having to deal with the effects of this pandemic.

Andrew’s state is obviously no longer ‘the place to be’ in the minds of many, but such a huge break in the migration flow pattern doesn’t happen without some significant consequences to the whole country. Much of Victoria’s previous economic success has been clearly attributed to its rapid populational growth partnered with its high migrant intake and both of those factors have currently changed drastically in the last twelve months. A perpetuation of this trend could be devastating to the state in the medium and long run.

On the other end of the migration flow, things are not necessarily amazing either. A rapid and unexpected influx of people into the social and economic fabric of specific locations may prove positive eventually but, in the short term, can bring all sorts of social and even economic issues. Queensland, for example, is currently experiencing a significant fluctuation in its housing market. The shortage of available houses for sale and rent have caused prices to skyrocket triggering a homelessness crisis in some areas of the state. The housing market is far from being the only area of Australian society being affected by this migratory scenario, which is also contributing to the crisis in the already struggling public health system in Queensland, for example.

Whilst Australians should be free to move as they please within the Australian national territory, basic democratic right which hasn’t been preserved through much of this pandemic, the proven lack of administrative ability in moments of crisis by the Andrews administration has caused many Australians to move under unusual circumstances causing other areas of the country to struggle to provide adequate support to its current and new residents.

Tyrannical behaviour begets more tyrannical behaviour

I don’t think the penny has dropped for many Australians yet but, currently, this country has a vaccination mandate in place in the state of Victoria. This is not about private businesses or institutions, if they wish, deciding to ask employees to be vaccinated, which would already be wrong if you would ask me, but we are talking about a unilateral state-sanctioned vaccination mandate. Let that sink in for a little bit. Now the state can decide who you can and cannot have on your payroll based on people’s private medical choices which should be protected under the 1988 privacy act. How has that even come into being in a country like Australia? Even more, how has that come into being without a major societal uproar?

The truth is some sections of Australian society are far advanced on the path towards tyranny, but Daniel Andrews seems interested in taking the lead on this one. Is Andrews the only aspiring tyrant out there? Not really, the NSW “Freedom Day”, designed by the ex-premier Gladys Berejiklian, is there to prove that. Is Andrews the most determined extremist out of them all? Yes; hands down. He has revealed a hubris to push democratic boundaries and covertly challenge aspects of the constitution like no other in recent times in Australia and the COVID-19 crisis has helped to put much of that on display for all Australians to see. Even the Victorian police, an institution that has been used to apply much of the authoritarian government directives, has been having to deal with resignations from officers with a conflicted conscience.

This is why people are leaving Victoria in droves right now. Many have now realised that Tyrannical measures will never lead to an environment of freedom, even though they might be marketed that way. Tyranny only begets more tyranny, never freedom; and even if some still, somehow, manage to continue to experience some measure of “freedom” it will never be true freedom because it will always be a “freedom” under the unwarranted limiting powers of a tyrant, and it will always be a “freedom” to some, not to all.

The next person affected, eventually, will be you

Those of a religious background have already been struggling with much of the policies coming out of the Andrews administration but it is now clear that the tyrannical circle of influence is widening, affecting more and more people by the minute. The effects of the Premier’s decisions are now starting to touch on many other areas of Australian society and his destructive influence can be felt well beyond the borders of his state. How long is it going to take for people to realise that, at some stage, all will be affected? One may feel inclined to not say anything because of the status currently enjoyed through compliance with illegitimately imposed policies, but how long does one thing this will last for? It only takes a quick look around at all the casualties of this Victorian government so far to make one realise it won’t be long until Andrews comes for all, unless people decide to continue to comply with freedom-crippling policy after freedom-crippling policy.

The language of tyrants seeking to usurp democracy will always be a language of peace, unity, and safety but the natural course of tyrannical steps is never freedom, and history has taught us that. Australia, please get rid of Andrews and every aspiring tyrant now before it is too late. No one watching what is taking place in Victoria, and indeed other parts of this country, should be silent. This is not just for the good of Victoria but for the good of the whole of Australia. Please sign the petition asking for the resignation of the Victorian Premier. Daniel Andrews, it is time to go.