Jacinta Allan is rocked by mass resignations as THREE ministers announce their retirement months earlier than state election
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has been hit by a fresh shock just months out from the Victorian state election, with three senior Labor ministers announcing their sudden retirement from politics.
Health Minister Mary‑Anne Thomas, Finance Minister Danny Pearson and Water Minister Gayle Tierney confirmed on Monday they will not contest the November election and will immediately step down from Cabinet.
The exits deepen instability inside the government and follow the December retirement of former government services minister Natalie Hutchins, whose portfolio was never refilled.
The sudden departures will trigger a significant cabinet reshuffle, with four backbench MPs expected to be promoted as Allan attempts to reset her team ahead of the campaign.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Allan paid tribute to the departing ministers, describing them as ‘friends and colleagues who have served the Parliament and the Victorian community’.
‘It is now their time to say farewell to their life of public service,’ she said.
On a personal note, the Premier thanked the ministers for their loyalty, saying she was grateful ‘for their friendship’ as well as ‘their commitment and service on behalf of the people of Victoria’.
Pearson became visibly emotional during the press conference, pausing to compose himself before announcing his resignation.
Jacinta Allan (right) thanked the three senior Labor ministers for their service on Monday
Thomas’ resignation came as one of the biggest surprises, given her status as a key political ally of Premier Jacinta Allan.
She has served as Health Minister since 2022 and has represented the seat of Macedon, north east of Ballarat, since first entering Parliament in 2014.
The resignations come just months before the November Victorian state election, with Allan facing a stiff fight against Liberal leader Jess Wilson and a resurgent One Nation.
The looming reshuffle follows a turbulent month for the Premier, after reports emerged that some uneasy Labor MPs were weighing a move against her leadership amid concerns about her low personal popularity.
Allan dismissed the claims in March, branding them ‘anonymous gossip’.
‘There’s a few, a couple, handful of scallywags there,’ she said at the time.
‘They might need a bit of a cuddle, and we’ll provide support for colleagues.’
A Freshwater poll published in March painted a grim picture for the Premier, showing Allan with an approval rating of minus 55 per cent and a net approval of negative 33 per cent, making her the most unpopular state leader in the country.
Jacinta Allan (centre) has come under mounting pressure amid poor polling on her leadership
Speaking to Daily Mail, senior Victorian Labor sources played down the resignations, rejecting suggestions they reflected any loss of confidence in Allan’s leadership.
They instead pointed to the lead‑up to the 2022 state election, when several senior Labor MPs also retired, only for Dan Andrews and Labor to go on to secure a decisive third term in government.
