Andrew Landeryou

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Andrew Landeryou

Andrew John Clyde Landeryou (born 19 August 1970) is an Australian blogger and former businessman. He has recently attracted attention through his website "The Other Cheek: Andrew Landeryou's Blog of Freedom," which has been the subject of considerable media comment. He first became known due to his business dealings with billionaire Solomon Lew and also for his involvement in the Melbourne University Student Union (MUSU).

Landeryou is the son of Bill Landeryou, a former Leader of the Opposition and then the Government in the Victorian Legislative Council and a minister in the Australian Labor Party Victorian state government of John Cain. Andrew Landeryou has been active in the past in the Labor Party, and particularly the Labor Right faction, although he had never been a candidate for public office and is not currently a party member. Landeryou's political connections have created media interest in his legal and commercial difficulties and more recently his website.

Landeryou was elected as President of MUSU in 1990. His support for the Australian involvement in the Gulf War and for Israel aroused the opposition of far left-wing student groups. After a campaign by the Education Action Group alleged misconduct by Landeryou and general secretary Kier Semmens, including the intimidation of Farrago student newspaper editors, they were removed from office by a vote at a student general meeting. Following the collapse of MUSU he was sued by the liquidator, Dean McVeigh, along with other former MUSU presidents, Darren Ray, Ben Cass and Scott Crawford.

After leaving university Landeryou went into business. In 2000 he started and became managing director of a dotcom company called IQ Corporation, which was intended to become an online sports statistics and gaming operator. About $4 million was invested in the company, with Melbourne businessman Solomon Lew as a major investor. By 2003, however, the company had failed and in 2004 it was put in liquidation.

Landeryou is now involved in a legal battle with Lew, who claims that Landeryou owes him $3 million following the failure of IQ Corporation. As a result of this dispute Landeryou was forced to sell the house he owned with his wife, former Melbourne City Council member Kimberly Kitching. Landeryou strongly disputes Lew's claim, saying it is based on fraud and coercion and that Lew is unwilling to pursue his claim further. Landeryou says that he plans to counter-claim against Lew in the event that he continues with his lawsuit.

In late 2004 Landeryou was summonsed to appear before the MUSU liquidator while overseas, but failed to do so. He was widely referred to in the press as a "runaway businessman," and was variously reported to be in China, Vietnam and (correctly as it turned out) Costa Rica. He maintains that he was travelling in search of investment opportunities and was unaware that a summons had been issued. No summons was ever served on him to appear.

Landeryou returned voluntarily to Melbourne in April 2005, saying that he was keen to appear at McVeigh's examination. He was arrested [1] on arrival for failing to appear before the Liquidators' examination and was asked to give evidence about MUSU. He gave evidence for one day and maintained that his involvement in the MUSU affair was minimal.

After returning to Australia Landeryou established a weblog called the The Other Cheek - Andrew Landeryou's Blog of Freedom, which has regularly attracted media attention for its commentary on the political scene, particularly the internal affairs of the Victorian Labor Party, about which Landeryou is well informed. He uses the blog regularly to attack members of the party's Socialist Left faction such as Senator Kim Carr, and also such figures as former Leader Simon Crean.

Landeryou's blog regularly accuses the Melbourne newspaper The Age of politically motivated bias against him. He has attacked Age journalist Leonie Wood over what he claimed was her "secret relationship" with anti-gaming crusader Kate Dempsey while writing articles about Landeryou's company, which had gaming interests. Another favourite target of Landeryou is Evan Thornley, a businessman who is now an ALP member of the Victorian Legislative Council. Landeryou has also engaged in regular sniping with Lawrence Money (The Age's "Spy" columnist).