Key Points
- Victorian Deputy Premier James Merlino has announced his retirement from politics at the upcoming state election.
- Health Minister Martin Foley, Police Minister Lisa Neville and Sports Minister Martin Pakula are also retiring.
The Victorian government has unveiled the frontbench it expects to take to the November state election and crowned a new deputy premier.
Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan will replace James Merlino as deputy premier after he was one of four senior Labor ministers to announce their retirement and step down from cabinet on Friday.
Labor MPs Lizzie Blandthorn, Colin Brooks, Steve Dimopoulos, Sonya Kilkenny and Harriet Shing will fill the ministerial vacancies, although their exact responsibilities are not yet finalised.
Maree Edwards was elected to replace Mr Brooks as speaker, while Natalie Suleyman will become deputy speaker.
The changes were unanimously backed by the Victorian Labor caucus during a meeting at the parliament house on Saturday.
The new ministry will be sworn in at the government house on Monday.
Ms Allan will officially become the second female deputy premier in Victoria's history.
"It's a tremendous privilege and its one that I know comes with the additional responsibilities but it also builds on the work I've been doing every single day as a regional MP in Bendigo," she said.
Her promotion cuts across the Labor convention to share the two top jobs between the left and right factions, given Mr Andrews and Ms Allan are both members of the former.
Mr Andrews disputes any such convention exists, pointing to flexibility under the Brumby and Bracks governments of yesteryear.
"Rob Hulls and John Brumby were not from different groups. Let me go one step further, John Thwaites and Steve Bracks were not from different groups," he said.
Asked if the pair had spoken about a handover, Mr Andrews said: "No, not at all."
Earlier, Mr Merlino said he would support Ms Allan as his replacement despite her coming from the Socialistic Left faction.
"I've sat at the front table with Jacinta for 10 and a half years. She'll be a fantastic deputy," he said.
Retiring MP and former sports minister Martin Pakula, another member of Victorian Labor's right faction, similarly backed Ms Allan.
"She's the longest-serving Labor minister in history and she'll make a great deputy premier," he said.
Mr Andrews thanked the four senior government ministers, who announced their retirement on Friday, ahead of the November state election.
"I'm very sad to have been advised and to announce the farewell of a number of my close friends and colleagues," Mr Andrews told reporters.
"But when the time is right, when you know, then this is the right decision to make in the interest of not just the government, but in the interest of our state."
The resignations prompted a cabinet reshuffle and portfolio arrangements discussed at the caucus meeting on Saturday.
Mr Andrews said he could never repay Mr Merlino for his loyalty and said Victorians couldn't have had a better acting premier during his own absence last year.
“No premier could ask for a better deputy than James Merlino. He is a person of courage and conviction,” the Premier said.
Mr Andrews spoke of Mr Merlino's work in the mental health portfolio, in particular the implementation of recommendations from Victoria's Royal Commission.
“James leaves that the ministry and will leave the parliament knowing that just yesterday, introducing the most profound rewrite of the Mental Health Act in the history of our state, leading our nation … That will change lives. It will save lives.”
Mr Merlino said the renewal was critical for any government for fresh ideas and new energy.
"As hard as this is, I believe in my heart that renewal, new cabinet ministers around the table, is the best thing for the government and our state," Mr Merlino said.
"It is hard to leave my beloved portfolio of education and mental health. But there does come a time for everyone… For me it is 20 years."
Mr Foley's exit, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, means the party will appoint a fourth health minister in as many years.
"The past two years have been a tough time for all Victorians," Mr Foley said.
"Many of us have come to reflect on what we aspire to achieve. I am no different. I am looking forward to contributing to a better, fairer, sustainable Victoria in a different capacity."
Mr Pakula's lower house seat of Keysborough has been scrapped as part of an electoral redistribution, but he had been expected to move to the upper house.
Ms Neville took extended leave last year while battling severe Crohn's disease flare-ups, and shed the emergency services portfolio when she returned to work in August.
She said her decision to retire was one of the hardest of her life and had been made in consultation with doctors.
"My recovery in 2021 allowed me to resume work in late 2021, but I know I cannot give another four years," she said.
"I wish it were otherwise, but I must be honest with myself, the wonderful people I work with and the Bellarine community."
As few as 10 of the 22 Victorian Labor MPs sworn into cabinet after the 2018 election will remain at the November election.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy argued the exits were more a revolt than party renewal.
"The only true renewal we'll see is at the November election when Daniel Andrews is defeated," he said.
