First Ministry of the Allan Labor Government
On Tuesday 26 September, Daniel Andrews announced his resignation as the Premier of Victoria and Member for Mulgrave. After almost nine years at the helm of the Victorian Government and twenty-one years in the Victorian Parliament Daniel Andrews decided now was the right time to leave.
In 2010, Andrews became Victorian Labor Leader and just four years later historically led the Labor Party to Government after only one term in Opposition. Andrews’ tenure as Premier was marked by landmark investments in infrastructure, historic social reforms such as the Royal Commission into Family Violence, and steering Victoria through the COVID-19 Pandemic.
In November last year, Andrews led the Victorian Labor Government to a historic third term, increasing the Government’s majority by one and in doing so became the longest serving Victorian Labor Premier, overtaking the late John Cain Jr.
On Wednesday 27 September, following a meeting of the Parliamentary Labor Caucus, the Hon. Jacinta Allan MP was elected the 49th Premier of Victoria. Allan becomes the second female Premier of Victoria after the late Victorian Labor Premier Joan Kirner.
Allan was first elected to the Victorian Parliament as the Member for Bendigo East at the 1999 state election; becoming the youngest woman at the time elected to Parliament at just twenty-five years of age.
After just one term in Parliament, she was elevated to the Ministry in 2002 as Minister for Education Services and Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs. Allan was the youngest Minister in Victorian history.
Allan served as Deputy Premier from June 2022, and has held the portfolios of Public Transport, Employment, Transport and Infrastructure, and the Suburban Rail Loop.
The Parliamentary Labor Caucus elected Member for Niddrie Ben Carroll as the Deputy Premier.
Carroll was elected to the Legislative Assembly in a 2012 by-election, and has held the portfolios of Public Transport, Manufacturing Sovereignty, Employment, and Industry and Innovation.
In addition to the Deputy Premiership, Carroll will also serve as Minister for Education and Minister for Medical Research in the first Ministry of the Allan Labor Government.
First Allan Ministry
On Monday 2 October 2023, the first Ministry of the Allan Labor Government was sworn in at Government House.
The announcement of the new Cabinet includes several changes as the Allan Government identifies housing as the core part of its agenda.
The Governments commitment to housing is highlighted by some of the key changes in the Ministry, with the expansion of housing responsibilities in a number of portfolios.
Sonya Kilkenny will continue as Minister for Planning whilst also becoming Minister for the Suburbs as the planning reforms from Victoria’s Housing Statement remain one of the key aspects of her portfolio.
Harriet Shing has been appointed the new Minister for Housing, leading the Victorian Government’s Big Housing Build and Australia’s biggest urban renewal project across Melbourne’s high-rise public housing estates. She also continues in the Water and Equality portfolios.
Colin Brooks has been appointed Minister for Development Victoria and Minister for Precincts; two portfolios central to the implementation of the Housing Statement. He will also become Minister for Creative Industries.
Tim Pallas will continue as Treasurer and Minister for Industrial Relations in the new Ministry.
Natalie Hutchins has been appointed Minister for Jobs and Industry and will lead the Department of Jobs, Skills and Industry. She also returns to Indigenous Affairs as Minister for Treaty and First Peoples and continues as Minister for Women.
Danny Pearson has added to the portfolios of Transport Infrastructure and the Suburban Rail Loop whilst retaining his roles as Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Worksafe and the TAC.
Vicki Ward was elevated to the Ministry following the vacancy caused by the former Premiers resignation. Ward has been appointed Minster for the Prevention of Family Violence and Minister for Employment.
First Allan Ministry | October 2023
| Jacinta Allan | Premier |
| Ben Carroll | Deputy Premier Minister for Education Minister for Medical Research |
| Jaclyn Symes | Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council Attorney-General Minister for Emergency Services |
| Tim Pallas | Treasurer Minister for Industrial Relations Minster for Economic Growth |
| Lizzie Blandthorn | Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council Minister for Children Minister for Disability |
| Colin Brooks | Minister for Development Victoria Minister for Precincts Minister for Creative Industries |
| Anthony Carbines | Minister for Police Minister for Crime Prevention Minister for Racing |
| Lily D’Ambrosio | Minister for Climate Action Minister for Energy and Resources Minister for the State Electricity Commission |
| Steve Dimopoulos | Minister for Environment Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Minister for Outdoor Recreation |
| Enver Erdogan | Minister for Corrections Minister for Youth Justice Minister for Victim Support |
| Melissa Horne | Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Minister for Local Government Minister for Ports and Freight Minister for Roads and Road Safety |
| Natalie Hutchins | Minister for Jobs and Industry Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Minister for Women |
| Sonya Kilkenny | Minister for Planning Minister for the Suburbs |
| Danny Pearson | Minister for Transport Infrastructure Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop Assistant Treasurer Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC |
| Harriet Shing | Minister for Housing Minister for Water Minister for Equality |
| Ros Spence | Minister for Agriculture Minister for Community Sport Minister for Carers and Volunteers |
| Ingrid Stitt | Minister for Mental Health Minister for Ageing Minister for Multicultural Affairs |
| Natalie Suleyman | Minister for Veterans Minister for Small Business Minister for Youth |
| Mary-Anne Thomas | Leader of the House Minister for Health Minister for Health Infrastructure Minister for Ambulance Services |
| Gayle Tierney | Minister for Skills and TAFE Minister for Regional Development |
| Vicki Ward | Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Minister for Employment |
| Gabrielle Williams | Minister for Government Services Minister for Consumer Affairs Minister for Public and Active Transport |
| Steve McGhie | Cabinet Secretary |
Parliamentary Secretaries
| Nick Staikos | Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs |
| Josh Bull | Parliamentary Secretary for Level Crossing Removals Parliamentary Secretary for Transport |
| Darren Cheeseman | Parliamentary Secretary for Education |
| Christine Couzens | Parliamentary Secretary for First Peoples |
| Paul Edbrooke | Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer |
| Bronwyn Halfpenny | Parliamentary Secretary for Jobs |
| Katie Hall | Parliamentary Secretary for Housing Parliamentary Secretary for Creative Industries |
| Nathan Lambert | Parliamentary Secretary for Children |
| Tim Richardson | Parliamentary Secretary for Health Infrastructure Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention |
| Michaela Settle | Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture |
| Nina Taylor | Parliamentary Secretary for Justice |
| Kat Theophanous | Parliamentary Secretary for Women’s Health |
| Paul Hamer | Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Development |
| Sheena Watt | Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Action |
| Iwan Walters | Parliamentary Secretary for Disability |
Further information
For more information, please contact your Hawker Britton Victorian consultants JP Blandthorn on +61 3 9034 3021 and Emma Webster on +61 3 9034 3020.
Further Hawker Britton Occasional Papers on the activities of the Victorian Government are available here.