A bronze statue of divisive former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is to be erected in central Melbourne at a cost of $134,000, sparking outrage from opponents.
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.
Mr 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. Meridian Sculpture has been selected to carry out the project, 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 would be $134,304, the government said.
Work is already underway, with installation details to be finalised closer to completion.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson accused the Labor government of "taking out the trash" with a 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," she said.
"We simply cannot afford it."
Mr Andrews, who resigned in September 2024 and was replaced by his deputy Jacinta Allan, garnered unwavering loyalty and admiration from some and 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, Mr 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.
Mr Andrews has been contacted for comment.
