Dictator Dan Departs

Arguably the most despicable, deplorable, diabolical and disruptive Premier in Victoria, if not all of Australia, has just announced that he is quitting. Dictator Dan Andrews has just said he will be gone as of late this afternoon. In a surprise move, the long-standing Labor Premier has said it is time to move on. And millions of Victorians are now dancing in the streets – metaphorically speaking at least.

I have written tens of thousands of words on all the disastrous policies and failures of the Andrews government. The long list of his stuff-ups, debacles and divisiveness cannot here be recounted, but if anyone has a short memory, the many articles found here should help refresh your memories.

One news report puts it this way about the final days of the 48th Premier of Victoria:

Premier Daniel Andrews has resigned as Premier, stepping down from the role from 5pm on Wednesday. Mr Andrews called a snap press conference on Tuesday afternoon to announce his shock resignation, with his wife Cath by his side.

Mr Andrews became the longest-serving Labor Premier in Victoria’s history in April 2023, overtaking John Cain Jr, who served as Premier from 1982 to 1990. He said he had only made the decison to step down “fairly recently”. “(This is) not an easy decision because, as much as we have achieved together, there is so much more to do,” he said. “But when it’s time, it’s time.”

Mr Andrews said thoughts about what life would be like after politics had “started to creep in”, prompting the shock call. “I have always known that the moment that happens, it is time to give this privilege, this amazing responsibility, to someone else,” he said.

“It’s not an easy job being premier of our state. It requires 100 per cent from you and your family. The only way I know how to do this job is to have it consume me, to have it define me. Every waking moment is about the work and that takes a toll.

“To have been premier for nine years and the leader of my party for 13 years is a greater set of opportunities than I ever thought would be afforded to me – a kid from the country with only really an aspiration to do good, to work hard, to work with teams of people that perhaps make things better.”

Of course, the vacuum will be filled. Whether his replacement will be any better remains to be seen. But arguably it will be quite hard to find someone as evil, as loathsome, as malevolent, and as arrogant as he was. It seems that Jacinta Allan and Ben Carroll will be the front-runners as his replacement.

In the meantime, millions of Australians are over the moon right now. What is most amazing is that he managed to last for nine years, and find himself reelected – more than once. How so many Victorians could actually support a guy like this still amazes so many of us.

And the bad news is that John Pesutto, the Liberal Opposition Leader, is still what we have to work with! Good grief. The way he has treated people like Moira Deeming and other conservatives and Christians has been appalling, and I would not for a moment expect a win for the Libs at the next state election.

Spiritual considerations

As I always say, lying behind politics is an even more real world – the spiritual world. The battle between good and evil that we see all around us is but a reflection of the battles being waged in the heavenlies. It is God who is ultimately calling the shots, raising up leaders and deposing them.

Just two weeks ago I wrote about how God is always at work behind the scenes, dealing with the nations. As I said in that piece:

As we read in Revelation 7:27:

“And the kingdom and the dominion
    and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
    shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;
his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
    and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Those are such comforting and hope-filled passages. Whether it is a Kim Jong Un in North Korea, or on a somewhat lesser level, a Dan Andrews in Victoria, or a Justin Trudeau in Canada, these rogue rulers and arrogant elites will most certainly not be around much longer – certainly in light of eternity.

Hmm, perhaps some prophetic words there! Indeed, another thing I have said so often in this regard is that when it comes to leaders like this, the best thing we can do is pray that they will be improved or removed. Just last night (as I have done almost daily for years now) I prayed that God would get Andrews radically converted, or move him along.

Well, the latter has certainly now happened. And so many of the other monstrous tyrants who destroyed so much of the West with the Covid Wars craziness – eg., draconian lockdowns and ugly Big Brother statism – are also now gone, be they McGowan in Western Australia or Ardern in New Zealand.

Next up, Palaszczuk in Queensland, and folks like Trudeau and Macron overseas. Keep praying folks. These leaders think they are invincible, but their days are numbered. Here today, gone tomorrow. The trouble is, while they are here, they can cause so much incredible harm and damage.

I for one will break open the bubbly tonight. The end of the reign of terror by Andrews will not be the end of our woes in Victoria or Australia, but it sure is one small step in the right direction.