Victorian Opposition leader Matthew Guy looking to ‘remove’ Premier Daniel Andrews and his ‘combative’ approach to discussions

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has slammed Premier Daniel Andrews for his “combative” attitude to discussions with the Federal Government and other state leaders.

The state Liberal leader said he hoped to “remove” Mr Andrews from the leadership at the November election and replace his hard-line stance during National Cabinet negotiations.

“I’m not going to dictate to him how to do his job in November I want to remove him from it,” Mr Guy said.

“Put in a new approach and that is an approach which uses more common sense rather than combative, rather more cooperative, rather than fighting with everyone.”

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“My approach is to work with the federal government and other state governments and the private health sector not to demonise them, take them on, lecture the public that is the politics of the past.”

Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg clashed with Mr Andrews in September last year over the amount of funding the former Coalition government was providing Victoria during the state’s lengthy lockdowns.

Earlier this year the Premier also engaged in a tit-for-tat with West Australian Premier Mark McGowan over Victoria’s spending on the Commonwealth Games and its GST allocation.

Mr Guy said the conflicts between Mr Andrews and other leaders proved he was “obsessed with fighting, blaming, arguing”.

“Victorians deserve to have consistency of policy a government that has common sense, works with other people… to solve the problems that we have,” he said.

“You can’t do that when you have a Premier who’s obsessed with fighting, blaming, arguing that’s his style he’s not going to change the way he is after seven and a half years of that.

“I’m not going to do that that’s not my approach, I will work cooperatively, with the federal government I will work cooperatively with other states, with the private health sector.”

Mr Andrews has also faced criticism from the Opposition for the health crisis currently sweeping Victoria with seven code red emergencies already this year as COVID-19 and flu inflections flood the hospitals.

Victorians will head to the polling booths in November this year as Mr Andrews plans to continue his eight-year reign as Premier but Mr guy has argued residents “deserve” a change in leadership.

Mr Andrews has been on leave for the past week and will return to work on Monday after a National Cabinet meeting is held.

State and territory leaders will meet with the Prime Minister to discuss the Federal Government’s decision to end COVID-19 support payments and free rapid antigen tests for concession card holders.