Melbourne hospitality heavyweight Paul Dimattina has labelled plans to build a statue of former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews as 'laughable'. Bronze statues of premiers who spent more than 3000 days in office are immortalised outside government offices near Treasury Gardens, under a rule introduced by former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett.
However, with Victoria in the grips of a violent crime wave crisis and many households struggling to afford groceries, the timing of the announcement sparked backlash. Mr Dimattina, a former AFL star who runs the popular South Melbourne venue Lamaro's Hotel, made the comments after the Jacinta Allan government announced late on Friday that it would proceed with plans to erect a bronze statue of Andrews.
'I don't think I've heard anyone who is happy about it,' Mr Dimattina told the Daily Mail. 'It astounds me why they would even consider the statue.' Mr Dimattina said the $134,000 allocated for the statue was a 'waste of taxpayer cash'. He also predicted the cost to taxpayers would blow out well beyond the current budget.
'It always does with this lot, especially when you factor in the cost of repairing the statue, because I guarantee this statue will probably be vandalised every day,' he said. 'Cook statues are getting bowled over all the time, I can see this getting bowled over every day. It's an insult to us Victorians, and more, it's a waste of taxpayer cash.'
Mr Dimattina said he was stunned when he heard the news the statue had been given the green light. 'The idea is laughable, they want to pat him on the back for the debt and his failures to the state, they love patting each other on the back even though they haven't earned it. If they were in the corporate world they wouldn't have jobs because they're failures.'
The restaurateur became one of the most outspoken critics of Victoria's Covid restrictions during the Andrews government's prolonged lockdowns, which were among the longest in the world. His views on the government's Covid response were further hardened after he spent time in intensive care following an adverse reaction to a vaccine booster shot.
Mr Dimattina, who helps run his family's flagship Lygon Street restaurant Il Gambero and also owns the popular South Melbourne venue Lamaro's Hotel, confirmed that Andrews and his wife Cath remain banned from all of his establishments. 'I don't think he wants to come but if he does he's not welcome,' Mr Dimattina said.
Jim's Mowing boss Jim Penman also teed off on the Andrews statue after previously banning the former premier from using any of the franchise king's services. 'If we were erecting a statue to the most incompetent and disastrous leader in Australian history, Daniel Andrews would be a worthy subject,' Mr Penman told the Daily Mail. 'The best suggestion I've heard is that we place it in the men's urinal at Flinders Street Station, so Victorians could truly show what we think of him.'
The announcement of the bronze Andrews statue also sparked outrage from political opponents. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson accused the Labor government of 'taking out the trash' with the late-Friday afternoon announcement as they knew it would not pass the 'pub test' during a cost-of-living crisis. 'This is a premier... who has basically bankrupted the state and I don't think we should be spending any more money on a statue - we simply cannot afford it.'
However, the Victorian government praised Andrews' leadership. 'Andrews led Victoria through some of its toughest moments and never stopped fighting for working people,' a Victorian government spokesperson said in a statement on Friday. The project is already full speed ahead, with Meridian Sculpture selected to make it, having erected statues of four long-serving Victorian premiers and others, including music industry figure Michael Gudinski.
'The selection process followed standard Victorian government procurement rules and the total cost of the statue will be $134,304,' the government said. 'Work is already underway, with installation details to be finalised closer to completion.'
Andrews, who resigned in September 2024 and was replaced by his deputy Jacinta Allan, garnered derision from others over his nine years in the role. He won three consecutive state elections and came to national prominence when he oversaw one of the world's longest lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Late in his term, Andrews cancelled the 2026 Commonwealth Games before they were due to be held in regional Victoria, claiming costs had almost doubled to at least $6 billion.
He was acknowledged in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours List, in part for championing Victoria's ambitious infrastructure development, including the Metro Tunnel, North East Link, and dozens of level crossing removals. Andrews and his wife Catherine are also in a defamation stoush with 'Bike Boy' Ryan Meuleman.
Meuleman became a high-profile figure after he was involved in a collision with the Andrews family's Ford Territory at Blairgowrie on the Mornington Peninsula in 2013. He was 15 at the time and had been riding his bike on the footpath when he was hit. The teenager was flown to hospital with life-threatening injuries including a punctured lung, broken ribs, and severe internal injuries, later losing part of his spleen. Meuleman is suing Andrews in the Federal Court over public comments the former premier has since made about the crash. In court documents, Meuleman claimed Andrews' statements caused him 'substantial hurt, distress and embarrassment'. Andrews has denied the allegations and accused Meuleman of bringing the case to attract publicity rather than to vindicate his reputation or obtain compensation for injured feelings in a 27-page defence.
In September, Andrews was photographed in China with a rogue's gallery of world leaders. Andrews and Chinese President Xi shook hands for several seconds as both men appeared to exchange warm pleasantries. He also posed alongside world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korea's Kim Jong Un, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. It is understood that Andrews was attending in a personal capacity.
Andrews was admitted to hospital for a serious health concern just before Christmas. The 53-year-old was taken to Monash Clayton Hospital in Melbourne's southeast in a 'very bad way' following a medical episode. He was spotted at a restaurant a month or so ago and appeared to be on the mend.
