Who is Victoria’s new health minister?

She’s here, she’s queer and she’s a Jacinta Allan loyalist. What does that mean for health in Victoria?

---

Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has named one of her closest allies, Harriet Shing, as the state’s new minister for health and ambulance services.

Her appointment follows the resignation of Mary-Anne Thomas on Monday, after almost four years in the role.

“She’ll bring new ideas to public health, backing our dedicated workforce, and will drive our work making healthcare easier and cheaper for busy families to access,” said Ms Allan today.

Ms Shing said she was excited by her new role.

“Fundamentally these are portfolios that centre around providing Victorians with access to the high-quality, affordable and accessible healthcare and services they deserve,” she wrote on LinkedIn.

“I am determined to continue our support for the tens of thousands of Victorian workers — nurses, midwives, doctors, paramedics, allied health and all healthcare workers — who provide world-class treatment, care, and support to patients every single day from the middle of Melbourne to the edges of the state.

“It has been a joy and a privilege for me to learn from so many skilled, focused and compassionate people in these roles, and I extend my gratitude and respect to everyone who provided help, advice, lived experience, and information along the way.

“Our work is so much better because of yours.”

Ms Shing has ticked a lot of boxes during her 12-year political career.

She was the first openly lesbian member of the Parliament of Victoria when elected to the seat of Eastern Victoria in 2014.

She was the first member of the state cabinet to have a Chinese background when she was promoted in June 2022.

She was, along with Steve Dimopoulos, one of Victoria’s first openly gay frontbenchers.

She was minister for regional development from June 2022 to October 2023, again following Ms Thomas. Then-premier Dan Andrews appointed her minister for Commonwealth Games legacy in December 2022, a role she held until July 2023 when the portfolio was abolished.

Mr Andrews then made Ms Shing minister for water – a portfolio she also returns to today – from June 2022 until December 2024; at the same time, she took on the equality portfolio, which she also held until December 2024. In October 2023, she added the enormous ministry of housing, courtesy of Ms Allan taking over from Mr Andrews.

On 19 December 2024, Ms Shing’s responsibilities were consolidated, and she became minister for housing and building, and minister for Development Victoria and precincts.

In other words, Ms Shing is very much seen as a safe pair of hands who can handle big, complicated portfolios.

Ms Allan’s reshuffle was comprehensive in the lead-up to next month’s state budget and the election in November.

• Ingrid Stitt will become the new special minister for state, minister for government services, as well as the minister for multicultural and multifaith Victoria.
• Paul Edbrooke will become the new minister for cost of living, the first minister for renters, the first minister for men and boys, and the minister for consumer affairs.
• Mr Dimopoulos will be minister for economic growth and jobs, in addition to his current portfolio of minister for sport and major events.
• Colin Brooks will serve as minister for industry and advanced manufacturing, minister for defence industry, and minister for skills and TAFE.
• Natalie Suleyman will become the minister for tourism, in addition to her portfolios as minister for veterans, and minister for small and family business and employment.
• Ben Carroll will add medical research to his responsibilities and Anthony Carbines will become the new leader of the house.
• Jaclyn Symes will become the minister for Development Victoria and precincts, in addition to her role as treasurer, minister for industrial relations, and the leader of the government in the Legislative Council.
• Gabrielle Williams will become the new minister for women and girls.
• Nick Staikos will become the minister for housing and building, and the minister for the suburban rail loop.
• Enver Erdogan will add minister for environment and minister for outdoor recreation to his work as minister for casino, gaming and liquor regulation.
• Sonya Kilkenny will become the minister for violence reduction and minister for finance in addition to her responsibilities as attorney-general and minister for planning.
• Paul Hamer will continue as minister for youth justice and minister for corrections, as well as the minister for local government.
• Ros Spence will become the minister for roads and road safety, in addition to minister for community sport and minister for First Peoples.
• Melissa Horne will add minister for prevention of family violence to her responsibilities.
• Michaela Settle will become the minister for regional development and minister for agriculture.
• Luba Grigorovitch will become the minister for youth and minister for carers and volunteers.
• Tim Richardson will be the new cabinet secretary.

New CEO for Noxopharm

Clinical-stage biotech Noxopharm has appointed Dr Olivier Laczka as its new CEO with immediate effect.

Dr Laczka has been with the company since 2018 in various roles, the most recent of which was almost five years as chief scientific officer.

“I am honoured to have been entrusted by the board in this new role and will take responsibility for building the company in our shareholders’ best interests,” he said.

“We have a real opportunity to grow by seizing the opportunities that are opening up for us and not hesitating to make the right decisions that will take us forward.”

Board chair Fred Bart said:

“Dr Laczka has made a very significant contribution to the development of the Sofra program and is the ideal person to steer the next phase of our growth.

“He has led our scientific team with genuine vision and energy while forming deep collaborative relationships with our external partners, and we have real confidence in his ability to deliver value for our shareholders.”

Noxopharm was disarmingly honest about Dr Laczka’s remuneration package – $290,000 per annum, plus two million options at a premium of 25% to the next share placement price, subject to certain performance hurdles. These options expire four years from the grant date.