Jaclyn Symes has been appointed as Victoria’s next treasurer, becoming the first woman to hold the role. She will be sworn into the role later today.
Symes, who is currently the state’s Attorney-General and the Minister for Emergency Services, will replace outgoing treasurer Tim Pallas, who resigned from politics last week. She was chosen for the role by Premier Jacinta Allan.
Symes was first elected to the Victorian parliament in 2014 as the member for Northern Victoria and has been the Attorney-General since 2020.
Speaking to ABC Radio on Thursday morning, Paul Guerra, head of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Symes has “the pedigree to come in and be a great treasurer”.
“I’ve known Jaclyn for a while,” Guerra said. “She’s smart, she’s experienced, and she has a really good overview of Victoria.
“First is for her to be her own person [but] surround herself with experts and a trusted adviser. Second, get across the details. The budget is in a challenging position, debt is a concern, and we’re taxed out.
“The third is to develop a positive relationship with the federal treasurer. We’re going to need their help, so let’s have a constructive relationship.”
According to reports in the ABC, Sonya Kilkenny, the Minister for Planning, will take on the role of Attorney-General, replacing Symes.
Symes’ historic appointment comes after Pallas’ resignation last week. He was the longest serving standalone state treasurer, first appointed to the role in former Premier Dan Andrews’ government in 2014.
Pallas resigned just days after he handed down the mid-year budget update for Victoria, which revealed the state’s budget deficit had worsened from $2.2 billion to $3.6 billion.
Symes will be sworn in as treasurer later today.