Four new ministers have been promoted to cabinet unopposed at a meeting of Labor MPs at Victorian parliament this morning.
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke, Eureka MP Michaela Settle, Kororoit’s Luba Grigorovitch and Box Hill’s Paul Hamer will join the ministry.
The positions were not contested despite a fifth MP, Mordialloc’s Tim Richardson, earlier flagging his intentions to nominate, which would have forced caucus to a vote.
It follows three MPs announcing their resignation from cabinet yesterday and retirement from parliament at the November election.
Premier Jacinta Allan will stand up this afternoon before the new-look cabinet is sworn in tomorrow.
Who are the new ministers?
Luba Grigorovitch is in her first term as an MP, having won the seat of Kororoit at the 2022 election.
She was formerly the state secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) and previously expressed strong support for disgraced CFMEU head John Setka.
In 2019, as Mr Setka was about to face court on charges of harassing a woman, Ms Grigorovitch said he had “always supported the concerns of RTBU members in Victoria”.
“He has a strong track record of standing up for the safety and living standards of working people,” she said.
Luba Grigorovitch speaking at a rally in 2019 before entering state politics. (ABC News)
Paul Edbrooke has been in state parliament since 2014, representing the seat of Frankston.
The former teacher and CFA firefighter has served as parliamentary secretary for police and emergency services and parliamentary secretary for bushfire recovery.
Mr Edbrooke is also an avid skydiver and survived a plane crash at Barwon Heads in 2023.
State Labor MP Paul Edbrooke. (ABC News: Darryl Torpy)
Paul Hamer was elected to parliament in 2018 in the seat of Box Hill.
Mr Hamer, a former civil engineer, is the son of a Holocaust survivor.
He’s been the parliamentary secretary for jobs since December 2024 and acting Speaker since 2023.
Paul Hamer at a polling booth in the electorate of Box Hill ahead of the 2022 Victorian state election. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)
Michaela Settle was elected to the seat of Buninyong, since renamed Eureka, in 2018.
She worked in public relations before entering politics and also ran her family’s sheep farm at Ararat.
Ms Settle has described herself as a proud single mum of two young men.
She has held several parliamentary secretary roles, including for regional Victoria, community sport and agriculture.
Michaela Settle, state MP for Eureka. (ABC Ballarat: Ashleigh Barraclough)
The cabinet reshuffle comes after three veteran Labor MPs announced on Monday they would not contest the state election in November.
Health Minister Mary Anne-Thomas, Minister for Government Services Danny Pearson and Minister for Water Gayle Tierney all announced they would retire from the ministry immediately.
Ms Allan paid tribute to the MPs as their retirements were announced.
“They have each left an indelible mark on this state, our government and the great Labor movement,” she said.