Jacinta Allan has been touted as a successor to Dan Andrews — now she’s one step closer

Five Labor MPs have been endorsed by their party’s state caucus to step into Cabinet vacancies left by retiring senior ministers. See the full list.

Five Labor MPs have been endorsed by their party’s state caucus to step into Cabinet vacancies left by retiring senior ministers.

Speaker Colin Brooks will move into the Cabinet along with two other right wing MPs Lizzie Blandthorn and Steve Dimopoulos.

Labor’s left wing faction selected Harriet Shing and Sonya Kilkenny to join them.

In a caucus meeting of all MPs, Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan was also officially nominated as deputy premier after Daniel Andrews backed her for the role on Friday.

Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards will be the new Speaker of the Legislative Assembly following Mr Brooks’ ascension to Cabinet, while St Albans MP Natalie Suleyman will be Deputy Speaker.

Premier Daniel Andrews said he was “delighted” Jacinta Allan had been unanimously elected as his new deputy.

“JA is just outstanding and it’s fitting that the caucus has elected her unopposed,” he said.

The Premier shut down rumours there were tensions in the party given Mr Andrews and Ms Allan were both from the Left.

“We’re not from different groups, we’re from the same group,” he said.

“My judgement is that the best person should get the job.

“And I happen to be joined in that judgement by every single one of my colleagues.”

Ms Allan said it was a “tremendous privilege” to be elected Deputy Premier.

“It is really humbling,” she said.

Will Dan’s preferred successor be our next premier?

When Daniel Andrews leaves state parliament next term, he wants Jacinta Allan to take over.

While this is no secret internally, the significance of Allan winning the deputy premier role on Friday shouldn’t be downplayed.

Labor doesn’t usually operate like a dictatorship, where the leader chooses their team.

The party’s factions are the ones that put forward candidates.

In 2012, the party’s right wing backed James Merlino from the conservative ‘Shoppies’ union.

So the fact the premier was able to secure his preferred pick from his own left wing faction, despite precedent making it a right wing pick, speaks to his current internal authority.

New Victorian Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan. Picture: Andrew Henshaw.

Some within the Right thought Ben Carroll, who will be co-ordinating Minister at the Department of Jobs following Martin Pakula’s retirement, would have pressed his case.

But at the moment, Andrews is king and his say matters more than it used to.

With the right wing of the Labor Party split, with part of it in an alliance with the Socialist Left, it was no doubt an easier task to get a Captain’s pick. This is not to diminish the ability or bona fides of Allan.

She has proven herself as a top parliamentary and public performer, and knows her portfolios like the back of her hand.

Many within the broader party believe she would be up to the job of premier, but in caucus she is not universally popular (although neither is Dan).

Even Allan’s enemies in caucus concede there’s “no one else” who would be as ready for the task, even if that’s through gritted teeth.

So, does this mean Victoria’s second female premier is an inevitability?

Of course not!

If Premier Daniel Andrew chooses to leave after the election, as everyone expects, the factions will decide on a new leader. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

After the election, if Labor wins but Dan chooses to leave mid-term as would be expected, the caucus decides on their new leader.

While in that scenario there’s a chance nothing would change — Allan would surely be viewed as the most suitable to take over following the retirements of James Merlino, Jill Hennessy and Martin Pakula — you never know what factions would do in a post-Dan world.

If you were a betting person, you might plonk some money on an orderly transition from DA to JA, based on this week’s manouverings.

Just don’t put the house on it.