SYDNEY: Premier Dominic Perrottet has angrily denied claims that in a desperate attempt to get a tired LNP government elected for a fourth term, he is seeking a law-and-order focus for next May’s state election.

“I angrily deny that in a desperate attempt to get a tired LNP government elected for a fourth term, I am seeking a law-and-order focus for next May’s state election,” the Premier told The Bug.

The Premier’s angry denial followed his recent announcement welcoming the news that climate-change activist Deanna “Violet” Coco had been jailed for a minimum of eight months for disrupting peak-hour traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

He said back then it was “pleasing to see” and warned others against taking part in protests that “inconvenience people”. “If protesters want to put our way of life at risk then they should have the book thrown at them.”

The Premier doubled down on those comments, adding today: “She had no right to interrupt people’s lives like that and had I been the magistrate in the case, I would have made that eight years and not eight months!”

Mr Perrottet denied that in the leadup to the state election, he planned to announce the reintroduction of capital punishment for a range of crimes in a desperate attempt to get a tired LNP government elected for a fourth term.

And he scoffed at rumours that in government circles he was now known as the Hanging Premier.

“I don’t care what people call me, and that includes The Daily Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Sky News Australia, various radio shock jocks and the ABC,” Mr Perrottet said in a desperate attempt to get a tired LNP government elected for a fourth term.

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MELBOURNE: Returned Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has held a “thank you” function at his parliamentary offices in Spring Street for the state’s fourth estate.

Those in attendance included senior editors/producers and politics writers from The Age, the Herald Sun, 3AW, The Australian, Sky News Australia and Michael Rowland from the ABC.

With counting almost finalised from the 26 November poll and the Premier on the cusp of repeating his 55-seat Danslide from 2018, an emotional Mr Andrews raised his glass and praised all those present.

“I couldn’t have achieved this without all your help,” he said. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”