Victorian Premier's Cabinet Reshuffle Ahead of Election

0:00It's April 17th, Sydney News Today starts now, AI-powered and ready. I'm Cory with the story. Victoria premiered Jacinta Allen just reshuffled her cabinet, bringing in four new ministers to paint her 12-year-old labor government as fresh and united ahead of the November State election. She's pushing for an unprecedented fourth term, and this move drops a ton of experience with resignations from Mary Ann Thomas, Danny Pearson, and Gayle Tierney, plus Natalie Hutchins earlier. The newcomers are Backbench MPs, Paul Edbrook, Luba Gregorovic, Paul Hamer, and Macayla Settle, filling spots after faction talks. Only Allen and Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio, remained from the original 2014 lineup, sworn in under Daniel Andrews. Opposition leader Jess Wilson slammed it as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, while labor insiders worry about Gregorovic's old ties to Union. Boss John Settka, especially with corruption allegations swirling, Allen gave her lighter

1:01portfolios like youth and carers, handing tougher ones like agriculture to settle and corrections to Hamer. Promotions went to Allen allies, like Harriet Sching, on health, and Nick Stichos, on housing. But right-faction MPs got mixed bags and leadership. Whispers linger after faction votes snub some of her picks. Talk is split, calling promotions less about merit and more about politics. All this hits as a high court ruling scraps donation laws, forcing rushed fixes, and a gelong refinery fire squeezes fuel supplies amid global. Tensions. Allen's betting her new team vibe sticks with voters facing these real pressures.