Beleaguered ex-politician Dan Andrews has escaped to New York to party with A-list celebrities at an event hosted by an Australian billionaire who has just been given a top appointment in the Victorian government.
It is understood that Andrews traveled to New York City to attend a party hosted by billionaire Visy chairman Anthony Pratt and held this week at the exclusive Mandarin Oriental hotel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Mr Pratt threw a lavish party to celebrate his recent US Green Card and his move from Melbourne to the Big Apple.
Celebrities including comedian Chris Rock, actor George Hamilton and Australian singer Keith Urban and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott joined Mr Andrews and Mr Pratt at the party at the five-star hotel on Columbus Ave.
Mr Pratt, who has a personal fortune of $23 billion, spared no expense with reports that Rock and Urban were both performing at the exclusive event.
However, Andrew’s presence at the party drew criticism amid a cost-of-living crisis in his home state and a growing blacklist of disgruntled businesspeople.
Victorian Liberal shadow treasurer Brad Rowswell said it was a “bad look” that Andrews had “escaped to New York” for Mr Pratt’s famous soiree.
“There is clearly no love for Andrews in Melbourne, which is evident from the fact that all the companies are blacklisting him,” Rowswell said.
Dan Andrews and his wife Catherine
Anthony Pratt at the 2024 Met Gala
‘So much so that he has flown to New York to nestle in the bosom of billionaires… and while he sends champagne, the master’s apprentice (Prime Minister) Jacinta Allan continues to make life harder for hard-working Victorians who hold the highest state pay. taxes in the country.
“Labor politicians could be more out of touch with the hardships facing Victorians if they tried.”
The revelations about Andrews’ party outings came on the same day Prime Minister Allan announced that Mr Pratt will take a full-fledged role on the newly created Prime Minister’s Business Council.
Mr Pratt was appointed to the council, along with other Victorian heavyweights including AFL boss Andrew Dillon and NAB chief Andrew Irvine.
Ahmed Fahour, head of the Gurner Group and former CEO of Australia Post, will chair the board.
According to a government statement, the council will provide a ‘direct line of cooperation between business and government’.
“Through the Premier’s Business Council, I will hear directly from some of Victoria’s top business people to ensure government and business work together for the benefit of our whole state,” Ms Allan said.
Andrews has come under fire in the past week after prominent business owners announced that the former Prime Minister had been banned from their services and businesses.
Victorian Liberal MP Brad Rowswell
Chris Rock reportedly performed at Mr. Pratt’s party in New York
Daily Mail Australia exclusively announced on Friday that Jim’s Mowing boss Jim Penman Dan Andrews had officially resigned from his company.
Mr Penman told the ex-Victorian Prime Minister he has been banned from using the services of the franchise king.
The franchise king told Daily Mail Australia he had terminated Andrews and “believes all of Victoria” should also blacklist the former pollie.
“If I had the tools, I wouldn’t work for him, and I would encourage any franchisee or independent contractor to do the same,” Mr. Penman said.
“He put over 100,000 independent contractors out of work for two months without any health care advice – as our lawsuit has now proven.
“I’ll be thrilled to think that he may have to mow his own lawn, clean his own house, and cook his own dinner, but I’m sure there’s someone out there who likes him and will do it for him.”
‘It must be humiliating for him [getting backlisted]. He was all-powerful as he sat on his throne on Spring Street, wagging his fingers and saying who can work and who can’t – but people have the power now.”
Jim’s Mower Boss Jim Penman has ‘terminated’ Andrews
Mr Penman also said he “personally thought it was a good idea” for Andrews to leave Victoria following his departure from politics and his new role as chairman of youth welfare organization Orygen.
“I hope he leaves… he’s running out of options, I would recommend he leaves Victoria, the amount of damage he has done to this state is immeasurable,” he said.
‘It’s the state that’s most hostile to do business in… that man is a disaster.
“It’s also ridiculous that Andrews is running this mental health organization, it’s like letting rapists run women’s shelters or pedophiles running child care centers.
“Andrews has done more to undermine mental health than anyone in the state’s history…I’ve seen the consequences firsthand, I’ve seen people lose homes and families…I actually know these people .’
Daily Mail Australia also revealed last week that ex-AFL star Paul Dimattina, who runs popular South Melbourne venue Lamaro’s Hotel, had banned Andrews from his venue.
Mr Dimattina said the former premier was ‘easily the most hated person’ in Victoria as it is revealed multiple restaurant owners have turned Mr Andrews and his wife Cath away.
“I hope Andrews wouldn’t get a place in my pub,” Mr Dimattina told Daily Mail Australia.
Ex-AFL player and heavyweight Paul Dimattina at the Melbourne restaurant
“If he came in and sat down…the Lamaro crowd would be disgusted when they saw him…Andrews is hated for his whole anti-business attitude.
“The trail of destruction Andrews left is still palpable: small businesses closed, endless lockdowns, crucial healthcare neglected, children out of school… he helped no one.
“Mental health went downhill and now Andrews has a job in mental health, if you can believe that.”
Mr Dimattina, who followed his 131-match AFL career by taking charge of the restaurant and manufacturing empire founded by his father Frank, said Andrews also “absolutely crippled” the hospitality industry.
He became a leading voice opposing Victoria’s response to Covid, as Mr Andrews imposed the world’s longest periods of lockdown.
“Business has been decimated, the CBD is a ghost town, once thriving restaurants are boarded up it’s the same on every high street, Chapel St, Lygon St, empty businesses everywhere,” he said.
“What Andrews did is he didn’t make running a small business easy…he would be better off if he left the state. I’m sure there are still people who still love him, lefties and all, but he’s not welcome anywhere and we’ll all be better off without seeing him here.”
Dimattina’s family owns and has owned several restaurants in the city, including along the famous Lygon Street district.
Andrews was Premier of Victoria for almost nine years before stepping down at the end of 2023 and taking on a new role at mental health organization Orygen.