Ben Carroll ends automatic statue policy for Victorian Premiers

Ben Carroll Daniel Andrews Victorian Premier statue policy taxpayer spending

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has announced the repeal of a long-standing policy that automatically commissioned taxpayer-funded statues for Premiers who served more than 3,000 days in office. The policy, originally introduced in 1999 by Jeff Kennett, had previously seen monuments erected for several former leaders near Parliament House in Melbourne.

As part of this decision, Carroll has halted work on a planned $134,000 bronze statue for former Premier Daniel Andrews, who led the state from 2014 to 2023. While the work on the monument will stop, the government will not cancel the existing contract to avoid unnecessary costs. Instead, an independent, bipartisan panel will be tasked with recommending an alternative subject for the commissioned piece.

The policy overhaul also extends to state funerals. The new bipartisan panel will provide recommendations regarding the appropriate scale, frequency, and costs associated with state funerals, as Carroll noted that such tributes should remain rare and special.

Entities

Ben Carroll · Daniel Andrews · Jeff Kennett · Parliament House · Victoria

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Work on the planned $134,000 statue of former Premier Daniel Andrews has been halted. www.watoday.com.au · www.wyndhamtv.com.au · www.theage.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] The existing contract for the Andrews statue will not be cancelled to avoid unnecessary taxpayer costs. www.watoday.com.au · www.wyndhamtv.com.au · www.theage.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] Daniel Andrews served as Victorian Premier from 2014 to 2023. www.watoday.com.au · www.wyndhamtv.com.au · www.theage.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] The new panel will also make recommendations regarding the frequency, scale, and costs of state funerals. www.watoday.com.au · www.wyndhamtv.com.au · www.theage.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] The statue policy was introduced in 1999 by former Premier Jeff Kennett. www.watoday.com.au · www.wyndhamtv.com.au · www.theage.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] Under the previous policy, any Premier serving more than 3,000 days was eligible for a bronze statue. www.watoday.com.au · www.wyndhamtv.com.au · www.theage.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] An independent, bipartisan panel will recommend an alternative subject for the commissioned statue. www.watoday.com.au · www.wyndhamtv.com.au · www.theage.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] Premier Ben Carroll announced the repeal of the automatic statue policy for long-serving Victorian Premiers. www.watoday.com.au · www.wyndhamtv.com.au · www.theage.com.au