Remember Geoff Shaw, the member for Frankston? This is what Daniel Andrews as opposition leader had to say in June 2014 when debate was raging in the parliament over allegations he used his parliamentary vehicle to make deliveries for his hardware business.
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"If anyone in this chamber wants to know why we are regarded as being for the public purse instead of the public good, if anyone in this chamber wants to know why we are held in such low regard by the hardworking people of this great state, then look no further than the conduct of the member for Frankston and the Premier's protection of him."
What a difference an election win makes. About 32 months after he accused his predecessor of ducking for cover, it is Mr Andrews who has gone to ground.
About the need to reform Victoria's entitlements system after The Age revealed lower house speaker Telmo Languiller claimed almost $40,000 to live outside his western suburbs electorate in Queenscliff, the premier's office had this to say:
"I welcome the matter being referred to the Audit Committee of Parliament, chaired by the Liberal President of the Legislative Council. I urge the Audit Committee to provide the Parliament with recommendations on the use of this entitlement as soon as possible."
So the outrage and the sermonising that characterised his response to the Shaw affair has now been replaced by blandness, as it relates to Mr Languiller.
Remember, this is almost $40,000 we are talking about - far more than Bronwyn Bishop's "choppergate" expense of $5000, or indeed the $8088 that Mr Shaw repaid which so outraged Mr Andrews.
The lack of public accountability when it comes to Victorian MP entitlements is shocking. There is no real time disclosure, no auditing and no accountability. It's difficult to find out what state MPs are even entitled to claim, let alone what they do claim. And don't bother trying to use the state's freedom of information laws, because the parliament is exempt.
The worst part of it is Victoria's parliament is self-regulated, so there is no scope for independent scrutiny, unless the issue is serious enough, in which case it might be examined by the anti-corruption commission or the Ombudsman (but even then it must be referred to the Ombudsman by the parliament).
The system is without transparency, it is overly generous, it is open to egregious abuse, and when MPs are caught doing the wrong thing, sanctions tend to be fairly light.
Andrews was dead right back in 2014: the public has lost faith in the political class. This is a sad thing, because there are plenty of politicians on both sides who are smart, hardworking and decent.
The Greens, the Opposition and Mr Languiller himself all support reforms. But where is the Labor government which came to power in 2014 promising something much better?
If Mr Andrews wants an explanation as to why public faith has continued to ebb away, he must surely now ask himself what responsibility he bears. He is, after all, now the premier.
