A provocative new mural has appeared on the streets of Melbourne, branding former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews a 'dictator'. The artwork, created by street artist Jarrod 'JGrech' Grech, has ignited a firestorm of debate across social media platforms.
The Controversial Artwork
The unflattering portrait appeared in a laneway near Melbourne's famous Victoria Market over the weekend. It depicts Andrews wearing a suit with the word 'dictator' stamped across his image in Grech's signature red-stamp style. The artist shared his creation on social media, accompanying it with the AC/DC song Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap and tagging it as the 'Final Boss'.
Social media users reacted strongly to the mural within just 48 hours of its appearance. One Australian commented: 'I cannot believe Victorians voted him back in... Stockholm syndrome is real! Love your work!' Another described it as the 'best artwork I've ever seen', while a third expressed strong personal feelings: 'Hate is a very strong word and have never felt or used it till 2020/21 towards this person.'
Political Backlash and Billionaire Criticism
The mural controversy emerged just days after Australian billionaire James Packer launched a scathing attack on Andrews. Speaking from his $200 million superyacht, Packer called the former premier 'human filth' and his 'least favourite person in the world'.
Packer claimed Andrews nearly ruined his life by imposing a last-minute increase in casino tax rates during the $8.9 billion takeover of Crown Resorts by Blackstone in 2022. 'With three weeks to go on the sale to Blackstone, Daniel Andrews changes the tax rates on Crown and rips $50 million out of Crown and gives no compensation', Packer told Rampart host Joe Aston.
The billionaire, who was majority owner of Crown until its sale, described Andrews' actions as 'appalling' and looked forward to confronting him 'far more aggressively' in person.
Artist's History of Provocative Works
This isn't Grech's first controversial mural. He painted his Andrews portrait over previous street art depicting convicted murderer Erin Patterson. That earlier work was originally titled 'Bon Appetit' but Grech later branded it with a red-stamp style 'guilty' slogan after Patterson was found guilty of murdering three family members with poisoned mushrooms.
Grech has developed a reputation for creating polarising political art. His portfolio includes murals of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, and jailed rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combes. He recently created another work targeting current Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, parodying her initiative to roll out machete bins to combat violent crime.
The mural appears as Andrews' legacy continues to divide public opinion, particularly regarding his government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and the extended lockdowns that saw his popularity wane before his 2023 resignation. Many business owners have since 'cancelled' Andrews from using their services or attending their establishments.
