Jaclyn Symes set to be named Victoria’s first female treasurer
Labor minister Jaclyn Symes expected to be handed the keys to Victoria’s debt-laden treasury by Premier Jacinta Allan.
Victoria’s debt-riddled budget will be managed by a female treasurer for the first time with Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes set for a major promotion on Thursday.
Premier Jacinta Allan is expected to announced that Ms Symes, a former union lawyer, will be appointed to the second most powerful job in the state.
The surprise move follows this week’s resignation of veteran treasurer Tim Pallas and comes as Victoria’s budget is in crisis with the 2024-25 deficit ballooning to more than $4bn and state debt soaring to almost $160bn.
The Allan government’s two most senior ministers, deputy premier Ben Carroll and transport and infrastructure minister Danny Pearson, were frontrunners but missed out on the job.
The Australian understands that in recent days multiple union figures and influential ALP elders had lobbied against both Mr Carroll and Mr Pearson being given the job of treasurer.
Ms Symes was elected to parliament ten years ago in the upper house. While this is unusual, it is not without precedent. Former Labor treasurer John Lenders was also an upper house MP.
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