A no-confidence motion against Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews dismissed as "cheap politics" by the government has failed.
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The Liberal-National coalition on Tuesday moved a no-confidence motion against Mr Andrews over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
It failed with 23 votes for to 44 votes against on Tuesday evening.
When introducing the motion, Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said the state deserved a "fresh start" under a new leader.
He said the premier bungled the hotel quarantine program, ignored offers of Australian Defence Force support and imposed tough coronavirus restrictions that "make no sense".
"This government is hostage to a premier who is pursuing an elimination strategy that is only going to eliminate jobs, that is only going to eliminate hope, that is only going to eliminate the bright future this state deserve," he told the Legislative Assembly.
He had urged Labor MPs to find their "conscience", cross the floor and support the motion but none did.
The premier was not present as Mr O'Brien spoke.
Mr Andrews, who usually refrains from attacking the opposition and never refers to their leader by name, hit back at his daily news conference.
"He and the cheap politics he trades in is of no consequence when it comes to fighting this virus. His cheap politics is not a vaccine against this virus," Mr Andrews said of Mr O'Brien.
He also criticised Mr O'Brien for "playing politics out of tragedy" when he held a news conference on Monday surrounded by 791 Australian flags - representing the lives lost during Victoria's second wave.
Mr O'Brien insists a lot of families were "really pleased" their loved ones hadn't been forgotten.
Deputy Premier James Merlino opposed the no-confidence motion in parliament, describing the move as a waste of time and energy, "designed to deflect from a leader of the opposition, who has lost the confidence of his own party".
"A man so desperate to make some kind of impact, any kind of impact, that he's taken to deliver cheap political stunts, tasteless, senseless, heartless stunts, exploiting the tragedy speaker, of grieving families and communities," he said.
All lower house MPs were given at least 15 minutes to speak on the motion.
The Victorian Greens had earlier indicated they wouldn't support the motion.
"The Liberals are using this no-confidence motion as a stunt to play political games with the pandemic, they want Andrews' scalp," Greens MP Ellen Sandell said.
"And right now, we think Victorians want politicians more to focus on how we actually get through this pandemic and out of restrictions."
The opposition only has one chance to move a motion of no confidence in the premier each parliamentary term.
The next election isn't until 2022.
In the months leading up to the 2018 election, then-opposition leader Matthew Guy moved a motion of no confidence over the misuse of taxpayer money in Labor's rorts-for-votes scandal.
It failed by 49 to 33 votes.
Australian Associated Press