Overview
- Ben Carroll halted work on a $134,000 bronze statue planned for former premier Daniel Andrews and moved to repeal the automatic statue rule in a statement released Saturday.
- The premier has appointed an independent, bipartisan panel to recommend an alternative subject and location for the commissioned work and to review how the state honours former leaders.
- Carroll confirmed the existing statue contract will be kept to avoid cancellation costs so the panel can decide what, if anything, should replace the Andrews bronze.
- Carroll said taxpayers expect careful spending and argued that public gratitude does not require a taxpayer‑funded statue, a position that follows his July rise to the premiership and an Opposition pledge to scrap the Andrews statue if elected.
- The statue tradition began as a 1999 guideline from former premier Jeff Kennett that placed bronzes at Treasury Place for premiers who served more than 3,000 days and the review could change how Victoria handles future statues and state funerals.