By Alistair Finlay / AAP
NORTHERN Victoria Upper House MP Jaclyn Symes is set to become the state’s first female Treasurer following a cabinet reshuffle triggered by the resignation of Tim Pallas.
Ms Symes, whose electoral region covers Mildura to Albury and the edge of Melbourne, was the Victorian Attorney-General and Emergency Services Minister.
She’s expected to take over the role from Mr Pallas, who served for a decade, after a swearing in ceremony on Thursday.
Ms Symes is from Benalla in Victoria’s northeast, has served as Attorney-General since 2020 and became Emergency Services Minister in 2021.
She’s now relinquished those two portfolios, but gained industrial relations and regional development and remains the Government’s leader in the upper house.
Premier Jacinta Allan said Ms Symes’ elevation, and the wider cabinet and portfolio reshuffle, was about the best people for the job.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s the cabinet room, the boardroom, the local footy club room, the best decisions are made when those decisions are being made by people who reflect those that they’re making the decisions for,” she said.
“It’s even more important when you consider that the cabinet room is the room where decisions are made for all Victorians.” Ms Symes’ appointment, which was reported by several media outlets, comes after days of speculation as to who would take over the state’s embattled finances.
Mr Pallas was Victoria’s longest-serving standalone treasurer and the third longest overall, behind dual premier and treasurers Henry Bolte and Albert Dunstan.
His resignation came days after a mid-year budget update unveiled a $1.4 billion projected rise to the forecast state deficit of $3.6 billion in 2024/25.
The budget update showed net debt was expected to hit $155.2 billion by July and grow to $187.3 billion by mid-2028, after an $837 million blowout on the Melbourne Metro Tunnel and a $1.5 billion lifeline for the state’s hospitals.
“We’re not going to sugarcoat this and pretend that everything is perfect,” Mr Pallas said.
He handed down his 10th budget in May, which revealed the Allan government was delaying more than 100 announced projects including a plan to build a new Royal Melbourne Hospital and Royal Women’s Hospital.
Mr Pallas will officially retire at the end of the week, triggering a by-election for the Seat of Werribee.
Other portfolio changes include Danny Pearson gaining finance and economic jobs and growth, Gabrielle Williams adds transport infrastructure to her role as Public and Active Transport Minister, Harriet Shing gets the Suburban Rail Loop, building, Development Victoria and precincts, Sonya Kilkenny is the new Attorney-General, Deputy Premier Ben Carroll gains WorkSafe and Transport Accident Commission and keeps education and medical research, Enver Erdogan adds casino, gaming and liquor regulation to his list of duties, Melissa Horne gains health infrastructure, Nick Staikos is in for consumer affairs and local government, Vicki Ward swaps to emergency services, natural disaster recovery and equality, Natalie Hutchins now looks after government services and prevention of family violence, Colin Brooks takes industry and advanced manufacturing, Anthony Carbines adds community safety and victims to his police portfolio, Natalie Suleyman gains employment, and finally Gayle Tierney is the new Water Minister.
