Danny Pearson, Harriet Shing big winners in Jacinta Allan’s new cabinet
Victoria’s opposition also unveiled a revamped line-up on Monday, with an old face making a return to the front bench.
Victorian Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson has received one of the biggest promotions in Jacinta Allan’s first cabinet, adding the new Premier’s former “big build” portfolios of transport infrastructure and the suburban rail loop to his responsibilities.
The reshuffle, announced as ministers were sworn in at Government House on Monday morning, has also seen Water and Equality Minister and close Andrews ally Harriet Shing given responsibility for housing, a fortnight after the government released its landmark housing policy statement, pledging to build 80,000 houses every year for the next decade.
Despite nine years in the job, Tim Pallas has shrugged off retirement speculation to remain as Treasurer, while Deputy Premier Ben Carroll has chose to take on the education and medical research portfolios.
The reshuffle comes less than a week after Mr Andrews stepped down and Ms Allan was elected by caucus to take his place, after Mr Carroll and the Right of the party torpedoed an attempt by the former and current premiers’ Socialist Left faction to install Mr Pallas as her deputy by threatening to run against Ms Allan for the top job.
The state opposition also unveiled a revamped team on Monday, with former opposition leader Matthew Guy returning to the front bench as public transport spokesman after 10 months on the backbench following his second election loss last November, and first term MP Evan Mulholland promoted to the portfolios of home ownership, housing affordability and outer suburban growth.
Another key change to the government’s line-up involves the creation of a “minister for children” role, which will see Lizzie Blandthorn continue to be responsible for Victoria’s struggling child protection system, as well as for the rollout of Labor’s signature “Best Start, Best Life” policy of providing universal free three and four-year-old kindergarten, and expanding the latter to constitute a 30-hour-a-week “pre-prep” program for all four-year-olds by 2032.
Mr Carroll’s portfolio comes at the expense of Natalie Hutchins, who was education minister when the Andrews government was forced into an embarrassing backdown over the scope of its extension of payroll tax to private schools following the May budget.
However, Ms Hutchins has not so much moved down as sideways, heading the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions as the Minister for Jobs and Industry, keeping her role as Minister for Women, and taking on responsibility for “treaty and first peoples” at a time when Ms Allan has indicated treaty negotiations with Victoria’s Indigenous population will be a priority.
Colin Brooks, who lost the housing portfolio to Ms Shing, has been given responsibility for the new “Development Victoria” agency which is set to be established under the government’s housing plan, as well as for precincts the government intends to prioritise for commercial and residential development.
Mr Brooks takes creative industries from Steve Dimopoulos, who keeps tourism, sport and major events, adds the new portfolio of “outdoor recreation”, and takes the environment ministry from Ingrid Stitt, who takes on responsibility for Victoria’s controversial second injecting room as Minister for Mental Health, as well as getting the ageing and multicultural affairs portfolios.
Ms Allan said previous focuses such as infrastructure, health and education would continue to be a priority for her government. “But we are also signalling today those important areas of housing, children, (and) strong economic growth will be the features of the government going forward over the coming months,” Ms Allan said.
While many within Labor remain hopeful that Ms Allan and her office will be more consultative than their predecessors, the new Premier indicated on Monday that cabinet’s expenditure review committee will be replaced by a smaller budget and finance committee with just four members: Ms Allan, Mr Pallas as Treasurer, Mr Pearson as Assistant Treasurer, and Jaclyn Symes as upper house leader.
Many key ministers remain in the same role, with Ms Symes staying Attorney-General with responsibility for emergency services, Lily D’Ambrosio keeping climate action, energy & resources and the State Electricity Commission, and Mary-Anne Thomas keeping health.
Enver Erdogan also keeps corrections, youth justice and victim support, and Melissa Horne casino gaming and liquor regulation, local government ports & freight and roads & road safety.
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