Daniel Andrews

The Honourable Daniel Andrews MP
48th Premier of Victoria Elections: 2014
Incumbent
Assumed office 4 December 2014
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Alex Chernov Linda Dessau
Deputy	James Merlino
Preceded by	Denis Napthine
Leader of the Labor Party in Victoria
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 December 2010
Deputy	Rob Hulls James Merlino
Preceded by	John Brumby
Leader of the Opposition of Victoria
In office 3 December 2010 – 4 December 2014
Premier	Ted Baillieu Denis Napthine
Deputy	Rob Hulls James Merlino
Preceded by	Ted Baillieu
Succeeded by	Matthew Guy
Minister for Health
In office 3 August 2007 – 2 December 2010
Premier	John Brumby
Preceded by	Bronwyn Pike
Succeeded by	David Davis
Minister for Gaming
In office 1 December 2006 – 3 August 2007
Premier	Steve Bracks
Preceded by	John Pandazopoulos
Succeeded by	Tony Robinson
Minister for Consumer Affairs
In office 1 December 2006 – 3 August 2007
Premier	Steve Bracks
Preceded by	Marsha Thomson
Succeeded by	Tony Robinson
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Mulgrave
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 November 2002
Preceded by	District reestablished
Personal details
Born	Daniel Michael Andrews 6 July 1972 Williamstown, Victoria
Political party	Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Catherine Andrews
Children	Joseph, Grace and Noah
Alma mater	Monash University
Religion	Roman Catholicism[1]
Website	danielandrews.com.au

Daniel Michael Andrews (born 6 July 1972) is an Australian politician who is the 48th Premier of Victoria, a post he has held since 2014. He has been the leader of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party since 2010, and from 2010 to 2014, was Leader of the Opposition in that state. Andrews was elected member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Mulgrave at the 2002 election, and has served as a parliamentary secretary and minister in the Steve Bracks and John Brumby Labor governments.^[1][2] On 29 November 2014, he was elected Premier of Victoria after the ALP won the state election, defeating the incumbent Liberal government.^[3] It was the first time since 1955 that a Victorian government had lost office after just one term.

Early life

Andrews was educated at the Marist Brothers' Galen Catholic College, Wangaratta. He moved to Melbourne in 1990 to attend Monash University where he was a resident of Mannix College. Andrews was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996 from Monash University. After graduating, Andrews became an electorate officer for federal Labor MP Alan Griffin. He worked at the party's head office from 1999 to 2002, initially as an organiser, and then as assistant state secretary.^[2]

Political career

Following his election to parliament in the Legislative Assembly seat of Mulgrave at the 2002 election, Andrews was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health in the Steve Bracks Labor government. Following the 2006 election, Andrews was appointed to the Cabinet, becoming Minister for Gaming, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs. In 2007, Andrews became Minister for Health in the John Brumby Labor government.^[4] In 2008, Andrews voted in favour of abortion law reform in Victoria.^[5]

Labor leadership

Brumby resigned as leader of the Victorian Labor Party following the Labor defeat at the 2010 election, after 11 years of Labor governments. On 3 December 2010, Andrews was elected Victorian Labor Party leader, becoming Leader of the Opposition in Victoria, with Rob Hulls as deputy.^[6] Hulls resigned in early 2012 and was replaced as deputy by James Merlino.

Premier

By the time the writs were issued for the 2014 state election, Labor had been ahead in most opinion polls for almost two years. Although Andrews consistently trailed Liberal premiers Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine as preferred premier, the Coalition had never recovered from Baillieu's forced resignation in 2013.

Labor held 43 seats at dissolution, but notionally held 40 after the redistribution of electoral boundaries. It thus needed a five-seat swing to make Andrews premier. On election night, it won seven seats for a total of 47, a majority of eight.^[7] In his victory speech, Andrews declared, "The people of Victoria have today given to us the greatest of gifts, entrusted to us the greatest of responsibilities and bestowed upon us the greatest of honours."^[8] He was sworn in as premier on 4 December.

Personal life

Andrews is married to Catherine Andrews, and together they have three children, Joseph, Grace and Noah. Andrews is a self-described devout and practising Roman Catholic. As Health Minister during the passing of the Abortion Law Reform Act 2008, Andrews sought counsel from senior church clergy who advised him that the Act was contrary to Church teaching. Andrews replied that he "... [did] not intend to be a Catholic health minister ... [rather], it is my intention to be the Victorian health minister".^[1]

See also

• Victorian state election, 2018

References

1. Hills, Ben. "The Contender". The Age, 26 June 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
2. Daniel Andrews parliamentary profile, parliament.vic.gov.au
3. "Daniel Andrews rises as Coalition swept from power". The Age Victoria. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
4. Daniel Andrews Labor profile, ALPvictoria.com.au
5. "Life Vote". lifevote.org.au.
6. Labor's Daniel Andrews endorsed as State Opposition Leader, Herald Sun, 3 December 2010.
7. "Electorates". ABC News.
8. Victoria election 2014: Labor takes back government. ABC News, 2014-11-29.