Victoria businesses blacklist COVID ‘dictator’
Restaurateurs and hoteliers in the Australian province of Victoria have blacklisted former Premier Dan Andrews over his policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Longest lockdowns in the world
Andrews earned the nickname “Dictator Dan” after imposing harsh lockdowns on Victoria’s population. These orders often came in response to low caseloads, sometimes as little as 22 cases. Victorians were forced to endure six lockdowns for a total of 262 days, the most in the world.
“Apart from emergency medical care there is literally no reason for you to leave your home and if you were to leave your home and not be found there you will have a very difficult time,” Andrews warned Victorians.
In September 2021, he promised taxpayers “new freedoms” if 70% of the population received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Those freedoms meant that two individuals could meet outdoors for four hours – up from two – within 10 kilometers of their homes. This was in addition to the time allotted for exercise.
‘Andrews is hated’
The lockdowns decimated Victoria’s hospitality sector, whose members have not forgiven Andrews.
“No hope Andrews would get a seat at my pub,” Paul Dimattina, who runs Lamaro’s Hotel in South Melbourne, told Daily Mail Australia. “If he walked in and sat down . . . the Lamaro's crowd would be disgusted if they saw him . . . Andrews is hated because of his whole anti-business stance. The trail of destruction Andrews left is still being felt today, small businesses closed down, endless lockdowns, critical healthcare neglected, children missing out on school . . . he didn't help anyone.”
The lockdowns had a devastating effect on Victorian children, causing high psychological distress in 70% of high school students. Suicide and self-harm rose sharply in adolescent girls and anxiety surged among children, with some refusing to return to school. Last year, mental health experts blamed Andrews’ lockdowns for the high dropout rates among high school students.
Mental health expert?
The former premier kept taxpayers under lockdown long after he was warned that the measure would cause a mental health crisis. In October 2020, Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt urged Andrews to end lockdowns, which he said posed a “risk to mental health.”
Nevertheless, Andrews recently secured a top role at the mental health research clinic Orygen, sparking outrage among Victorians.
“Mental health went downhill and now Andrews has a job in mental health if you can believe that,” added Dimattina, who ended up in intensive care after taking the COVID-19 shots mandated by Andrews.
"Nothing's available Mr. Andrews"
'What Andrews did is he made running a small business not an easy thing . . . he'd be better off leaving the state, I'm sure there's some people who still love him, lefties and that, but he's not welcome anywhere and we'll all be better off without seeing him here,” the hotelier added.
Chris Lucas, who owns several Melbourne restaurants, said he refused service to Andrews’ wife Cath when she called to make a reservation.
“Sorry, it’s not available,” Lucas told her. The restaurateur said Andrews and his wife have also been banned by the Di Stasio restaurant group, which refused to book a spot for the former premier.
“I wouldn't want that crook anywhere near my restaurant or club,” said Australian Rebel News reporter Avi Yemini. “He's bad for business.”
But it isn’t just the hospitality sector that is disgusted with Andrews, who has also been rejected by exclusive golf clubs. National Golf Club and Portsea Golf Club both reportedly blocked Andrews from joining when he expressed interest.
