Victoria’s new cabinet has been sworn in, with Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke taking up the newly-created cost of living portfolio.

The reshuffle of Premier Jacinta Allan’s cabinet was prompted by the retirements of three MPs earlier this week, who will leave politics at the next state election in November.

First-term MP Luba Grigorovitch has been sworn in as youth minister, Paul Hamer takes over as local government, youth justice and corrections minister and Michaela Settle assumes the regional development and agriculture portfolio.

The reshuffle also sees Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny add the finance portfolio to her responsibilities.

Ms Kilkenny will also handle the violence reduction portfolio.

Nick Staikos has taken over from Harriet Shing as minister for the Suburban Rail Loop.

Ms Shing has been moved into the health portfolio vacated by Mary-Anne Thomas, who was one of the MPs who announced their retirement at the forthcoming election.

Victoria names inaugural cost of living minister

Ingrid Stitt will become the new special minister of state and Steve Dimopoulos will add economic growth and jobs portfolio to his sport and major events responsibilities.

Ms Allan said the creation of a cost of living portfolio was an important addition to her cabinet.

A middle-aged man photographed indoors, looking directly at the camera

 Paul Edbrooke has been sworn in as the state’s first cost of living minister. (ABC News: Darryl Torpy)

“The cost of living is putting pressure on family budgets and family time,”she said. 

“We’re making work from home a right, we’ve made public transport free in April as a temporary measure and we’re delivering more homes young people can afford near trains and jobs.

“That’s why Paul Edbrooke will become the new minister for cost of living to continue this important work.”

Mr Edbrooke said the portfolio came with considerable challenges.

“I’m thinking about how we can use every opportunity to squeeze as hard as we can as a government to make life easier for Victorian families,” he said.

Mr Edbrooke, a former teacher, is also the state’s first minister for renters and will operate as minister for men and boys and consumer affairs minister.

“There’s been a definite change in how young boys become men and I think this portfolio is firmly focused on how we make young boys into healthier men,” he said.

“That has so many repercussions across our whole community, whether it be family violence, whether it be suicide rates, there’s a lot of work to be done there.”

Respect Victoria challenges men to question masculinity stereotypes

Alex Mills has battled with stereotypes of what a man should be for years. He’s now shedding light on toxic masculinity in a bid to get more men to think about the type of man they want to be and stamp out certain behaviours.

First-time minister Paul Hamer said he was not daunted by taking on youth justice responsibilities at a time when youth crime is a major issue in the community.

“I think it just shows that the premier has confidence in me and my ability to tackle these portfolios as a first-time incoming minister,” he said.

“Obviously the youth justice and corrections portfolios form a very important part of the community safety piece and I’ll be working every day, particularly with the minister for police and the attorney-general, to make sure that remains a key focus of our government.”

The state’s new health minister, Harriet Shing, will also handle the ambulance services and water portfolios.

“She’ll bring new ideas to public health, backing our dedicated workforce, and will drive our work making health care easier and cheaper for busy families to access,” Ms Allan said.

Loading