Michaela Settle joins cabinet in Labor reshuffle

Four newcomers have been elevated to a state government’s front bench following the pre-election resignation of senior ministers.

Labor MPs gathered at Victorian parliament on Tuesday to decide ministerial replacements for Mary-Anne Thomas, Danny Pearson, Gayle Tierney and Natalie Hutchins.

Ms Thomas, Mr Pearson and Ms Tierney on Monday announced they would not contest the November state election and immediately leave cabinet, following Ms Hutchins out the door.

One-time sheep farmer Michaela Settle, from the party’s left, was among those promoted.

Kororoit MP Luba Grigorovitch also won support from the party’s right for one of the vacancies.

Ms Grigorovitch was elected to parliament in 2022 after previously becoming the first woman and youngest state secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union.

Her elevation to cabinet has come under scrutiny over her connection to former Victorian CFMEU secretary John Setka, who attended her wedding at Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula in 2023.

Former firefighter and teacher Paul Edbrooke was also promoted, while Box Hill MP Paul Hamer secured the final left-assigned spot over the premier’s parliamentary secretary and Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson.

Returning officer Juliana Addison said the quartet were elected unopposed.

“(They) will make a huge contribution to this state and to the cabinet,” Ms Addison told reporters.

None of the four MPs have previously served in cabinet.

Ms Thomas, Mr Pearson, Ms Tierney and Ms Hutchins collectively boasted more than 30 years of frontbench experience.

Their departures also leave the health, finance and water portfolios up for grabs.

With the cabinet set, Premier Jacinta Allan faces the task of shuffling roles in a move that could be critical to Labor’s election fortunes.

She has faced internal factional pressure over her leadership as her personal popularity tumbles in the polls.

The new cabinet will be announced and sworn in on Wednesday at Government House in Melbourne.

Four senior ministers quit the Labor state government cabinet five months out from the 2022 election before Daniel Andrews steered the party to another thumping victory.

Labor has never won a fourth successive term in Victoria, falling short of the feat under the Cain-Kirner and Bracks-Brumby governments.

With AAP.