Senior bureaucrat Matt Phelan chosen to run Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s office

Jacinta Allan has picked a senior bureaucrat to run her office in a move government insiders hope will bring to an end a “chaotic transition” from the Andrews government.

A senior bureaucrat who specialises in transport has been chosen to run Jacinta Allan’s office.

Matt Phelan, who currently runs the office of Major Transport Infrastructure Authority boss Kevin Devlin, was on Monday announced as the Premier’s new chief-of-staff.

He will take over from the long serving Lissie Ratcliff, who ran Daniel Andrews office from 2016.

Government insiders said they hoped the appointment would bring to an end a “chaotic transition” to the Allan administration caused, in part, by a delay in Ms Allan setting up her new office.

Mr Phelan’s appointment followed speculation Jess Howard, a City of Greater Bendigo director and former chief to Ms Allan, would return to the role.

Mr Phelan helped Ms Allan set up her ministerial office in 2014.

Before that he worked briefly as a journalist for the Herald Sun before joining Labor while in opposition in 1997.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan with Deputy Premier Ben Carroll. Picture: Getty

He worked as a communications director for EastLink before stints at the MTIA and Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Jess Lindell, an Andrews government director of policy, will serve in one of two deputy chief positions.

A second deputy, who is expected to manage communications, is yet to be appointed.

Deputy Premier Ben Carroll on Monday rejected claims of a chaotic transition, describing it as “very successful”.

Until now Ms Allan’s office has effectively been run by Mr Andrews’ former leadership team.

It has created a “chaotic” situation with sources saying there has been a failure for the old team to integrate with Ms Allan’s ministerial office.

It led to the shock announcement of a new tax by treasurer Tim Pallas which took Ms Allan’s office by surprise.

On Sunday, the Herald Sun revealed that former chief-of-staff to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Ben Hubbard, quit as a key consultant to Ms Allan amid internal turmoil.

Mr Carroll said he didn’t think Ms Allan had taken too long to establish her office.

“No, we’ve been working very hard. We’ve had a week of parliament and we’re back in parliament again (this week),” he said.

“We’re getting on with it … making sure we have a healthy state.

“I think the transition has been very successful and we are getting on with the job.”

Mr Carroll said he didn’t believe there was a sense of frustration internally.

Mr Carroll added that he was still working out his own staffing arrangements for his new role.

“That’s a matter for me and my staff, but I’m hoping to keep all my staff. Different skill sets are required but I’ll work through that,” he said.