Daniel Andrews facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel Andrews
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Andrews in 2018
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| 48th Premier of Victoria | |
| In office 4 December 2014 – 27 September 2023 |
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| Monarch | |
| Governor |
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| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Denis Napthine |
| Succeeded by | Jacinta Allan |
| 17th Leader of the Labor Party in Victoria | |
| In office 3 December 2010 – 27 September 2023 |
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| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | John Brumby |
| Succeeded by | Jacinta Allan |
| Leader of the Opposition in Victoria | |
| In office 3 December 2010 – 4 December 2014 |
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| Premier | |
| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Ted Baillieu |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Guy |
| Minister for Health | |
| In office 3 August 2007 – 2 December 2010 |
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| Premier | John Brumby |
| Preceded by | Bronwyn Pike |
| Succeeded by | David Davis |
| Minister for Gaming | |
| In office 1 December 2006 – 3 August 2007 |
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| Premier | Steve Bracks |
| Preceded by | John Pandazopoulos |
| Succeeded by | Tony Robinson |
| Minister for Consumer Affairs | |
| In office 1 December 2006 – 3 August 2007 |
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| Premier | Steve Bracks |
| Preceded by | Marsha Thomson |
| Succeeded by | Tony Robinson |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for Mulgrave | |
| In office 20 November 2002 – 27 September 2023 |
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| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | Eden Foster |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Daniel Michael Andrews
6 July 1972 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouse |
Catherine Kesik
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Monash University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Daniel Michael Andrews (born 6 July 1972) is an Australian former politician. He was the 48th Premier of Victoria from 2014 to 2023. The Premier is the leader of the state government.
Andrews was also the leader of the Victorian Labor Party from 2010. He was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the area of Mulgrave from 2002 until he left politics in 2023.
He is the longest-serving Labor Premier in Victoria's history. He is also the fourth-longest serving Premier overall in Victorian state history.
Andrews became a government minister in 2006. He was the Minister for Health from 2007 to 2010. After his party lost the 2010 election, he became the Leader of the Opposition. This meant he was the main leader of the parties not in government.
In 2014, Andrews led the Labor Party to win the state election. He became Premier in December that year. His party won again in 2018 and 2022. Important events during his time as Premier included the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Early Life and Education
Daniel Andrews was born in Williamstown, a suburb of Melbourne. His parents were Bob and Jan Andrews. In 1983, his family moved to Wangaratta in northeastern Victoria. He went to Galen Catholic College there.
In 1990, Andrews moved back to Melbourne to go to Monash University. He studied politics and classics and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996. After university, he worked for a federal Labor politician, Alan Griffin. He also worked at the Labor Party's main office from 1999 to 2002.
Starting His Political Career
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Andrews was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 2002. He represented the area of Mulgrave. Soon after, he became a Parliamentary Secretary for Health.
Becoming a Minister
After the 2006 election, Andrews joined the Cabinet. This is a group of senior ministers who make important decisions. He became the Minister for Gaming and Minister for Consumer Affairs.
In 2007, he became the Minister for Health. He held this role until the government lost the election in 2010.
Leading the Opposition
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After the 2010 election, the Labor Party was no longer in government. Daniel Andrews was chosen as the new leader of the Victorian Labor Party. This made him the Leader of the Opposition. His job was to challenge the government and offer different ideas.
Premier of Victoria (2014–2023)
Winning the 2014 Election
In the 2014 state election, Daniel Andrews led the Labor Party to victory. They won enough seats to form the government. This was the first time since 1955 that a government was voted out after only one term.
Andrews became Premier on 4 December 2014. He promised to work hard for the people of Victoria.
First Term (2014–2018)
During his first term, Andrews' government made several big changes. They stopped the East West Link project. They also started a project to remove dangerous level crossings where roads and train tracks meet. They also began the Melbourne Metro Rail Project.
In 2018, Andrews announced plans for a large project called the suburban rail loop. This loop would connect major train lines and the Melbourne Airport.
Ambulance Dispute
When Andrews became Premier, there was a disagreement about pay with ambulance paramedics. He worked to end this dispute.
Ties with China
Andrews' government worked to build stronger ties with China. They signed an agreement in 2018 to cooperate on things like trade and education. This agreement was part of China's Belt and Road Initiative. However, the Australian Government later cancelled these agreements in 2021.
Port of Melbourne Lease
In 2016, the Andrews Government leased the Port of Melbourne to a private company for 50 years. This brought in over $9.7 billion for the state.
Winning the 2018 Election
In November 2018, Labor won another big victory in the state election. They gained more seats, especially in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. This was only the fifth time a Labor government had been re-elected in Victoria.
Second Term (2018–2022)
In 2019, Andrews received a salary increase, making him the highest-paid state premier in Australia.
He was praised for his leadership during the 2019–20 Victorian bushfires.
COVID-19 Pandemic Response
During his second term, Andrews led Victoria's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a very challenging time.
In mid-2020, cases started to rise in Victoria. Andrews announced stricter rules, including lockdowns for certain areas. In July, he brought back stage 3 restrictions for Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. People could only leave home for essential reasons like exercise or supplies.
In August 2020, with many new cases, Andrews declared a State of Disaster. He announced Stage 4 lockdown rules for Melbourne. These rules included a nightly curfew, compulsory face masks, and limits on how far people could travel from home. Most businesses had to close.
These strict rules helped to reduce the number of infections. By October 2020, Victoria had a day with no new cases or deaths, which was called "Donut Day". However, there were more lockdowns in 2021 due to new outbreaks.
Andrews faced both praise and criticism for his handling of the pandemic. Some media outlets called him "Dictator Dan" because of the strict measures. However, his popularity remained high.
Privatisation
During his time as Premier, the Andrews government oversaw the sale of some government services to private companies. This included the Land Titles and Registry office in 2018. In 2022, the operation of vehicle registration and licensing for VicRoads was also privatised.
Winning the 2022 Election
Andrews led the Victorian Labor Party to another big win in the 2022 election. This secured his third term as Premier. The party even gained more seats, increasing their majority in parliament.
Third Term (2022–2023)
By February 2023, Andrews had served more than 3,000 days as Premier. In April 2023, he became the longest-serving Labor Premier in Victoria's history.
During his third term, Andrews promised to bring back the state-owned State Electricity Commission. He also pledged to remove 110 level crossings and start building the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) and the SRL Airport Line.
In July 2023, Andrews announced that Victoria would no longer host the 2026 Commonwealth Games. He said the cost had become too high, and the government could not justify spending so much money.
Resignation
On 26 September 2023, Daniel Andrews announced he would resign as Premier. He also stepped down as leader of the Victorian Labor Party and as the member for Mulgrave. He said it was "time to go" and think about life after politics. His deputy, Jacinta Allan, took over as Premier.
Andrews spent his entire career in the Legislative Assembly as a minister or leader. He was never a "backbencher," which is a member of parliament who is not a minister.
Political Views
Daniel Andrews has been part of the "socialist left" group within the Labor Party since 1993. He supports protecting the environment and taking action on climate change. He backed the goal of net zero emissions by 2050. He also planned to bring the state electricity grid back under government control.
Andrews is a republican. This means he supports Australia becoming a federal republic instead of a constitutional monarchy with the King as head of state.
He has also supported same-sex marriage and the expansion of LGBT rights. He has worked to promote understanding and respect for transgender and transitioning people. In 2016, he formally apologised to the LGBT community on behalf of the Victorian Government.
Personal Life
Daniel Andrews married Catherine Kesik in 1998. They live in Mulgrave and have three children. He was raised as a Roman Catholic.
In March 2021, Andrews had an accident while on holiday. He slipped and fell, breaking several ribs and a vertebra. His deputy, James Merlino, became Acting Premier until Andrews returned to work in June 2021.
Andrews caught COVID-19 in March 2022 but recovered fully. He is a supporter of the Essendon Football Club.
Honours
In 2024, Daniel Andrews was given a special award called the Companion of the Order of Australia. This was for his "eminent service" to the people of Victoria, including his work in public health and developing new infrastructure.
Images for kids
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Daniel Andrews' signature
