Colin Brooks has become minister for child protection, family services, disability, ageing and carers. Lizzie Blandthorn is minister for planning and leader of the lower house, while Sonya Kilkenny has become minister for corrections, youth justice and victim support, as well as fishing and boating.
Steve Dimopoulos with the Governor.Credit:AAP
Dimopoulos felt the significance of his swearing-in. He stands on the shoulders of many gay men and women, he said, who were forced to hide their sexual identities. On Tuesday, he wants to get on with the job and be judged as Steve Dimopoulos, the politician, the member for Oakleigh, the minister for a vast range of portfolios.
While decriminalising homosexuality was important, he said, milestones such as his and Shing’s elevation were critical.
“My sexual identity is not the sharp end of what I lead with, and I don’t think it’s bad if others do,” he said. “There’s not one model to be gay and a politician or a cafe owner or a councillor. For me, it’s an expression of decades of work of people well before me that has allowed me to step up.
Sonya Kilkenny
“It’s important for a lot of people who will be emboldened seeing me and Harriet on their TV screens in a high-profile position.”
Shing paid tribute to the outgoing minister for equality, Martin Foley, who she said had led significant reform for LGBTQ people, including apologising for historical convictions, banning gay conversion and suppression practices, allowing trans and gender diverse people to amend their birth certificates and establishing Australia’s first pride centre.
She also sent a message to Victoria’s transgender community in the wake of a FINA decision to effectively ban trans women athletes from competing in elite swimming.
“Trans rights are human rights,” Shing said. “When we look at the levels of discrimination, harassment and the vilification that trans Victorians face every single day throughout their entire lives, it should be beyond doubt that we take the action necessary to make sure that they are protected, they are welcome and that they are supported to reach their very best potential.”
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Premier Daniel Andrews was forced into a major pre-election reshuffle after Foley, James Merlino, Richard Wynne, Lisa Neville and Martin Pakula announced they would step down from cabinet immediately and not recontest their seats in November.
Between the five retiring ministers, the government has lost eight decades of frontbench and a century of parliamentary experience.
Jacinta Allan has been sworn in as the deputy premier, becoming only the second woman in Victorian history to hold the position. She will also take on a new portfolio as the minister charged with delivering the Commonwealth Games.
She said the historic moment of her elevation, as well as the appointments of Dimopoulos and Shing, was not lost on her.
“I hope that it demonstrates … that regardless of your background, regardless of your postcode, regardless of your gender, under this state and under the leadership and reform of the Daniel Andrews led government, we are a community and society that is inclusive, and that sees strong performance rewarded, that sees equality as an opportunity.”
More than half the Victorian cabinet is now made up of women.
The retirement of Foley, Merlino, Pakula and Neville reopens a preselection battle for their safe seats. When asked if he wanted to see the Labor Party preselect more ethnically diverse candidates, Andrews said he wanted to lead a team that looks like the community that it serves.
“We always need to strive, all of us, need to strive to make that the parliament and the cabinet looks like the community it serves,” he said.
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