No Bronze for the Premier

How much bronze does a politician deserve for simply staying in office? In Victoria, the answer used to be precisely $134,000 worth—provided a premier managed to sit in the state’s top job for at least 3,000 days. That vanity policy, introduced by former Premier Jeff Kennett in 1999 shortly before he lost office himself, has finally hit a wall. Premier Ben Carroll has put a stop to the planned statue of his predecessor, Daniel Andrews, opting instead to question why taxpayers should finance monuments to political leaders.

Carroll announced an end to the automatic commemoration rule and ordered work on the Andrews likeness to cease immediately. Framing the decision around fiscal discipline, Carroll stated: We are grateful to former premiers for their service. But gratitude does not require a taxpayer-funded statue. He added that respecting public money means being careful and deliberate about state spending.

It is a surprisingly sober turn for a state government, particularly given the mounting political backlash. Andrews, who held power from December 2014 until September 2023, easily cleared the 3,000-day milestone. Work on his bronze effigy began in May after Meridian Sculpture was selected through standard procurement—the very same foundry responsible for four previous premiers enshrined near Treasury Place. Sir Albert Dunstan, Sir Henry Bolte, Sir Rupert Hamer, and John Cain Jr. all secured their permanent spots in metal under the scheme, while Sir James McCulloch, who served over 3,000 days across non-consecutive terms, was forgotten entirely.

Spending six figures on political self-aggrandisement had predictably drawn fire from the opposition. Liberal leader Jess Wilson had publicly campaigned against the project, calling the $134,000 price tag a clear instance of waste and pledging to kill the project if elected.

Instead of tearing up the contract and wasting funds on cancellation penalties, the government plans to redirect the work. An independent, bipartisan panel will choose a different subject and location for Meridian Sculpture's commission, while also drafting new guidelines for future state funerals and memorials.

Andrews has not commented on his cancelled monument. Yet when asked about the 3,000-day milestone last year, he observed that there was no magic to the figure, noting that those who spend their time talking about legacy usually spend too little time actually building one. For once, the treasury seems to agree.

Written by Thomas Nussbaumer thomas.nussbaumer@alpineweekly.com