Tim Smith, embattled Liberal Victorian member for Kew, is remarkably resisting calls to resign from Parliament immediately, following this past weekend’s incident in which he (allegedly) got behind the wheel of his brand-new Jaguar after consuming a shedload of booze, and summarily crashed it into a family home in Hawthorn.
Those calls for Smith’s resignation from Parliament have come not from opposition, but from close ally. Matthew Guy, the state Opposition Leader and noted Friend of Tim, has asserted in no uncertain terms that Smith should not contest the next election, effectively demanding he bow out of state politics.
However Smith, who reportedly blew a fairly eye-watering 0.131 at the time of the incident, has apparently been resolute in his aim to remain in Parliament. Smith has thus far resisted all calls to resign, and opined “Should one horrendously poor judgement render someone’s career over immediately?” in a fairly staggering interview on 3AW Wednesday morning, during which he also claimed that his 0.131 breath test reading was merely the result of “a few glasses of wine.”
So the question begs: Is it fair to call for a politician’s immediate resignation over an incident of poor judgment?
Perhaps the better question is: If it had happened to a rival MP, would Tim himself be calling for their resignation?
With a hat tip to Twitter user @DrCrazyThoughts for compiling the data, let’s check the archives.
November 21, 2016: Smith calls for Safe Schools founder Roz Ward (not an MP) to resign after trying to remove the MAGA hat of a Trump-supporting agitator at an otherwise peaceful anti-Trump protest at Monash Universty.
Daniel Andrews mate Roz Ward must resign after being caught harassing a bystander because she didn’t like his hat! https://t.co/CpalxAPiXH
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) November 20, 2016
June 21, 2017: Calls for former Labor speaker Telmo Languiller to resign over a $50,000+ overseas travel bill which was footed by taxpayers. Languiller quietly retired from politics the following year.
The rorting , dodgy former Speaker Telmo Languiller should resign from parliament and cease taking money from taxpayers. He has no shame. https://t.co/LetsFCLS5M
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) June 21, 2017
March 1, 2018: Smith called for then-Education Minister James Merlino to pack it in over an alleged foiled “murder plot” involving students at a school in Melbourne’s north.
In Labor’s Education State when a student plots to murder another student it’s the victim who has to leave the school – not the perpetrator.
James Merlino has breached his duty of care to the victim – he should resign. https://t.co/Wyqy7gIcp1
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) February 28, 2018
May 3, 2018: Smith demands the resignation of Treasurer Tim Pallas over porkbarreling concerns following the release of an Ombudsman report into Labor Party activity surrounding the 2014 election campaign.
So Tim Pallas thinks stealing $400,000 of taxpayers money to win an election is acceptable. What a sense of entitlement, what a crook. We simply can’t trust him with our state’s finances and he should resign. https://t.co/lk9k7PhawA
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) May 2, 2018
September 5, 2018: Smith makes the first of many calls for Dan Andrews to resign, following the release of a stack of documents concerning opposition leader Matthew Guy‘s botched attempt to rezone farmland on Phillip Island, which cost taxpayers $3.5 million in a resultant legal settlement.
You are a complete disgrace @DanielAndrewsMP resign. https://t.co/QbV752nIms
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) September 5, 2018
September 6, 2018: Smith sends out a midnight tweet again calling for Andrews to resign over the incident, which again primarily concerned Matthew Guy.
The Premier of Victoria @DanielAndrewsMP is unfit to hold office. He must resign. https://t.co/mpHpfmtlPj
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) September 5, 2018
September 6, 2018 again: After waking up in the morning, Smith calls for Andrews to resign over the same incident once again.
Daniel Andrews must resign. #springst https://t.co/qtlu815Tmz
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) September 5, 2018
September 6, 2018 again: Make that an even four. This time somehow the Hemsworth brothers are tangentially involved.
Daniel Andrews MUST resign. He’s a complete disgrace who has no shame. #springst https://t.co/mbUEVT2rBe
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) September 6, 2018
March 21, 2019: Smith’s attentions turn back to Treasurer Tim Pallas, calling for him to resign over his dealings with Transurban.
Tim Pallas has personally enriched himself because of the deal he negotiated on behalf of Victoria with Transurban.
He has a massive conflict of interest.
He must resign. https://t.co/XD6sltZd9O
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) March 21, 2019
September 30, 2019: Smith calls for Will Fowles to resign after being spotted at the MCC Member’s Bar for the 2019 AFL Grand Final despite being on leave for addiction issues after a drunken incident in a Canberra hotel in which he kicked in a door.
I trust all the doors🚪in the @MCC_Members haven’t been kicked in as @willfowles spent the Grand Final in the Long Room? Fowles should immediately get back to work or resign so the people of Burwood can choose a better MP. https://t.co/oDXq0utU1H
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) September 30, 2019
October 10, 2019: Smith calls for Fowles to resign again, stating he “clearly isn’t up to being a member of Parliament.”
Will Fowles should resign. He clearly isn’t up to being a member of parliament. The people of Burwood deserve much better. https://t.co/UJqoZOtJA9
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) October 10, 2019
October 10, 2019 again: Smith posts the exact same tweet as the one two minutes prior, only with a different link this time.
Will Fowles should resign. He clearly isn’t up to being a member of parliament. The people of Burwood deserve much better. #springst https://t.co/YTIeRr14tM
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) October 10, 2019
October 11, 2019: Smith again goes in on Fowles over the incident involving alcohol.
Will Fowles still won’t come clean with the people of Burwood. He should resign. https://t.co/MoCkzR8kEd
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) October 10, 2019
October 11, 2019 again: Again, Smith targets Fowles and reiterates that he “clearly isn’t up to being a member of parliament,” and that “the people of Burwood deserve much better.”
Will Fowles still won’t come clean with the people of Burwood.
He should resign.
Fowles clearly isn’t up to being a member of parliament.
The people of Burwood deserve much better https://t.co/qISTnuztx5
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) October 10, 2019
February 15, 2020: Smith calls for Casey Counciller Sam Aziz to resign, after he voluntarily quits the Liberal Party following extensive evidence of corruption and embezzlement at an IBAC hearing.
I’m genuinely delighted this bloke Aziz has resigned from the Liberal Party. Whilst he’s at it he should resign from Casey Council. https://t.co/zPwxFDIHGF
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) February 15, 2020
May 5, 2020: Smith calls for Deputy CHO Dr Annalise van Diemen to resign after posting a tweet comparing the arrival of COVID-19 in Australia to that of Captain Cook. Van Diemen is subsequently cleared of any code of conduct breach.
Why won’t Daniel Andrews reprimand this green left activist @annaliesevd ? Why hasn’t she deleted her partisan, political tweets whilst Deputy CHO? She should resign. https://t.co/YrVLjpkwwO
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) May 5, 2020
July 2, 2020: Smith issues a blanket push for any one of Martin Pakula, Lisa Neville, Jenny Mikakos, or Dan Andrews to resign after hotel quarantine issues in Victoria begin to bubble to the surface.
Which Minister will resign @MartinPakulaMP, @LisanevilleMP or @JennyMikakos for this fiasco ? Or will Andrews ? He will hide behind this inquiry for months. At quarantine hotels in Sydney each FLOOR has 1 @nswpolice 1 ADF & private security, no wonder they’ve had no break outs. https://t.co/MvwWXBPsjf
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) July 1, 2020
July 2, 2020 again: 11 minutes later, Smith issues another blanket demand for Pakula, Neville, Mikakos, and Andrews to resign, this time based on the behests of [checks notes] Dave Hughes.
We don’t need another inquiry, we demand Daniel Andrews and his 3 responsible Ministers for this fiasco @JennyMikakos, @MartinPakulaMP, @LisanevilleMP to admit their culpability for this crisis & resign. Private ‘bouncers’ must be replaced with the ADF & police like in NSW ASAP https://t.co/U0LErJ1Ue3
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) July 1, 2020
July 7, 2020: Smith issues blanket call number three for all four senior Labor Government officials to scram.
If this incompetent fool of a Premier had managed hotel quarantine with the ADF & not bouncers we wouldn’t be in this position.
Andrews should resign.
So should @MartinPakulaMP, @LisanevilleMP and @JennyMikakos.
Labor has failed Victorians.They truly are the Guilty Party. https://t.co/qUzFXExdIi
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) July 7, 2020
July 29, 2020: Smith makes a vague gesture for Dan Andrews’ “friends” to resign, but declines to mention anyone specifically.
I’ll bet Daniel Andrews can’t wait to watch to this… a bit like last time his government featured on @60Mins … but this time hopefully his friends are forced to resign like @JennyMikakos rather than his factional enemies. https://t.co/zymjms4jji
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) July 29, 2020
August 4, 2020: Smith calls for then-Health Minister Jenny Mikakos to resign, citing – of all things – the June 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Melbourne.
This is the same Minister that did absolutely nothing to dissuade thousands of people from ignoring the directions of the CHO and protest through the streets of Melbourne in June. When will @JennyMikakos take responsibility for her role in the hotel quarantine fiasco and resign? https://t.co/oCcetPgxfW
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) August 4, 2020
September 22, 2020: Smith calls for DHHS Secretary Kim Peake – and, by extension, the entire Victorian public service – to resign.
Peake is the worst senior public servant I’ve seen in 6 years in parliament,including 4 on PAEC.Eccles & others disgraced themselves this week.They’ve shown how politicised the Victorian Public Service is.They’re a bunch of untruthful lemmings – they all should resign in shame. https://t.co/CwkJqACeO9
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) September 22, 2020
October 7, 2020: Smith calls for Police Minister Lisa Neville to resign over the hotel quarantine fiasco. The tweet features a bizarre graphic mockup the echoes the US Military’s infamous Iraq’s Most Wanted playing card deck.
Andrew Crisp retracted his evidence from PAEC that he had briefed his Minister,Lisa Neville, about planning for the hotel quarantine fiasco.
Did Lisa Neville order Crisp to issue this retraction?
Neville has not been truthful about her role in this debacle.She must resign. pic.twitter.com/JXtuerVk8S
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) October 7, 2020
October 7, 2020 again: 13 minutes later he’s back at it again. This time without the deeply stupid playing card.
This is why Lisa Neville must resign. https://t.co/zqL1x8G68O
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) October 7, 2020
October 23, 2020: Smith calls for Dan Andrews to resign for no real reason at all.
Please resign. https://t.co/CNJ43IcsaC
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) October 23, 2020
October 25, 2020: Smith calls for Dan Andrews to resign again based on some impatient grumbling from former Premier Jeff Kennett.
Andrews must resign. https://t.co/RArh8MfB2w
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) October 25, 2020
October 26, 2020: Smith again calls for Andrews to resign after appearing on Sydney radio to claim he is a “habitual liar” who is costing “1,200 jobs a day.”
Daniel Andrews must resign. https://t.co/pLp1v3Ynq1
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) October 25, 2020
December 14, 2020: Here’s Smith going at Andrews again in December 2020…
Will Daniel Andrews finally take responsibility for this? One of the most devastating failures of public administration in the nation’s history that resulted in 801 lives lost and thousands of livelihoods destroyed? He must resign. pic.twitter.com/d0i2c36MSv
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) December 14, 2020
December 21, 2020: …and once again a week later, using the 801 lives lost during Victoria’s second COVID wave as a political football.
Andrews should resign over ‘greatest public administration failure’ in Australian history. It’s an insult to the 801 dead and 200,000 Victorians who lost their jobs during the 2nd wave that he hasn’t. https://t.co/4Eyu7DVCGx
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) December 21, 2020
December 21, 2020 again: Later that night, more of the same.
Chairman must resign. pic.twitter.com/FQKfQUuMVa
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) December 21, 2020
January 2, 2021: Smith uses a speculative Andrews resignation as a New Year’s Resolution.
Victoria’s New Year Resolutions…
1.Daniel Andrews to resign.
2.Andrews to take responsibility for the 2nd wave & 800 deaths.
3.More focus on economic recovery.
Thousands of Victorians have been left stranded around Australia because of Chairman Dan.
He must go. pic.twitter.com/idN6xB3ymo
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) January 2, 2021
February 12, 2021: Smith again calls for Andrews to resign, apparently aggrieved over the Premier’s choice of whiskey from four months prior.
The Premier of Victoria should resign. He said all the lessons from the avoidable 2nd wave have been learnt. They haven’t, and his government’s failures have caused a 3rd statewide lockdown. This state government is a risk to Victorians. https://t.co/55fwn72ZCz
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) February 12, 2021
February 12, 2021 again: Eight minutes later, Smith calls for Andrews’ resignation again, this time over circuit breaker lockdown action taken which lasts a total of five days.
The Premier of Victoria should resign. His government’s failures have yet again ensured Victorians are locked up. A statewide lockdown for 19 active cases… real confidence in the ‘improved’ contact tracing team…🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/VJ4I1zbmQK
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) February 12, 2021
February 12, 2021 for a third time: Smith, Andrews, resign. There’s a graphic this time. It looks like shit.
“Best in the country.”
“Everyone is copying us.”
That was Monday.This is Friday.#Lockdown3
Andrews must resign. pic.twitter.com/ZtZqf9o5aw
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) February 12, 2021
February 14, 2021: Smith calls for Andrews to resign, but only after he contacts Gladys Berejiklian and asks her to “send NSW officials” to Victoria to “teach ours how to do it.” Four months later NSW would suffer a COVID outbreak that necessitates a 107-day lockdown. Berejiklian subsequently resigns as Premier in September amid ICAC enquiries into alleged corrupt behaviour.
An open letter to Daniel Andrews.
Could he please call @GladysB & ask her to send NSW officials who are running Sydney’s quarantine hotels to Victoria to teach our officials how to do it?
Could he do the same for the contact tracers too?
It’s then hoped he would resign. pic.twitter.com/9iM4Doheg4
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) February 14, 2021
February 22, 2021: Smith again uses the 801 deaths from the Victorian second wave as a reason to call for Andrews’ resignation. 655 – or 82% total – of those deaths come from aged care facilities, which are a Federal responsibility.
The Andrews government has attempted to cover up, lie and mislead the public as to the causes of the 2nd wave of Covid-19 that cost the lives of 801 Victorians. He should resign!
But don’t worry he’s having a Royal Commission into a Casino… pic.twitter.com/0l2kVZzZJV
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) February 22, 2021
March 17, 2021: Smith calls for Minister for Veterans Affairs Shaun Leane to resign, after Leane suggests that some MPs use ANZAC Day as a political exercise to “get a selfie and look sad.” Which is probably not entirely untrue.
This is Victoria’s Minister for Veterans Affairs. He said this… “When you push the war widows, when you push the veterans out of your way, when you get there first you will get your chance.” What despicable comments from this disgraceful fool @ShaunLeaneMP . He should resign. pic.twitter.com/Fat7c8HNYp
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) March 17, 2021
March 18, 2021: Smith posts his own address in Parliament in which he echoes his calls for Leane to resign.
My statement in parliament calling on disgraceful Minister for Veterans Affairs,Shaun Leane, to resign. Leane accused Lib MPs of pushing veterans & war widows out of the way to get a selfie on Anzac Day. Let the record reflect that Act/Prem @JamesMerlinoMP stands by this idiot pic.twitter.com/BiR3Z4xatL
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) March 18, 2021
May 26, 2021: Smith stops short of calling for Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp to resign directly, but gives the vague allusion that “many business leaders are hoping” she will.
No one who is serious about Melbourne’s recovery is applauding the state budget, aside from you. Why don’t you just join the Labor Party? You’re an appalling Lord Mayor. Many business leaders are hoping you will resign. https://t.co/eo14zf0qYv
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) May 26, 2021
June 2, 2021: Back on Andrews, Smith not only calls for Andrews to resign but makes an obtuse reference to Andrews suffering another catastrophic back injury.
Please, go away… again, and resign. https://t.co/mobVBTt2Uc
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) June 2, 2021
August 19, 2021: Smith calls on Victorian COVID Commander Jeroen Weimar to resign after he says rudimentary statistics of COVID-19 cases amongst Melbourne’s Orthodox Jewish community out loud.
Had this so called ‘covid commander’ described any other religious minority in such terms, he would have been sacked. So I call on him to resign, or Andrews to sack him. https://t.co/ZoZS1foIUS
— Tim Smith (@TCS1983) August 19, 2021
So there you have it. 47 calls for resignation, citing concerns of varying significance, some of which come close, but arguably do not exceed, the severity of “blowing 0.131 after crashing a car into a family house.”
Would Tim Smith be calling for resignation had this happened to someone else?
Based on the evidence, probs.
