Jacinta Allan

Jacinta Marie Allan (born 19 September 1973) is an Australian politician serving as the 49th and current premier of Victoria since 2023. She has been the leader of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since 2023 and has been a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the district of Bendigo East since 1999. She previously served as the 29th deputy premier of Victoria from 2022 to 2023. Allan is the longest-serving female minister in Victorian state history and currently the most senior sitting member of the Assembly.

Early life

Allan was born on 19 September 1973 in Bendigo, Victoria. A member of a prominent Bendigo political family, she is the granddaughter of William Allan who was the president of the Bendigo Trades Hall Council. Her father, Peter Allan, played for in the VFL under-19s in 1963 and was a State Electricity Commission worker as well as a member of the Electrical Trades Union.

Allan was educated at St Joseph's Primary School in Quarry Hill and at Catholic College Bendigo. She completed the degree of Bachelor of Arts ( Hons) at La Trobe University. While at university she worked part-time as a grocery bagger at Coles.

Political career

Early involvement

Allan joined the ALP at the age of 19 and interned for federal MP Lindsay Tanner while at university. She subsequently worked as a political staffer for state MPs Steve Gibbons and Neil O'Keefe, before her election to parliament. In 1997, she was one of the leaders of a campaign to prevent a lap dancing bar from opening in Bendigo.

Allan was first elected at the 1999 state election at the age of 25, making her the youngest ever elected female parliamentarian in Victoria. She defeated incumbent Liberal state government minister Michael John as part of a large swing to Labor in regional Victoria. Her victory helped Labor form a minority government with the support of three independents.

Bracks/Brumby governments (2002–2010)

Allan entered the ministry after the 2002 election, serving as Minister for Education Services and Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs. She was the youngest minister in state history and the youngest Victorian government minister since Alfred Deakin in the 1880s.

After a cabinet reshuffle in 2006, Allan's responsibilities were altered slightly, losing Youth Affairs in exchange for Women's Affairs. She was promoted in August 2007, in a reshuffle sparked by the accession of John Brumby to the premiership. In 2010, she became Minister for Industry and Trade. Allan was targeted by Right to Life organisations during her election campaign in 2010, having voted for abortion reform in parliament during 2008.

Opposition (2010–2014)

After the defeat of the Brumby government in November 2010, Allan became manager of opposition business in the Legislative Assembly, as well as opposition spokeswoman for Roads, Regional and Rural Development and Bushfire Response. Since this time, Allan has also served as police and emergency services spokesperson.

In a reshuffle announced in December 2013, Allan became Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Regional Cities and Regional & Rural Development, in addition to her responsibilities as Manager of Opposition Business.

Andrews government (2014–2023)

After the 2014 state election, Allan was appointed Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Employment in the First Andrews Ministry.

Following Labor's victory in the 2018 state election, Allan was appointed Minister for Transport and Infrastructure in the Second Andrews Ministry. The portfolio leads a large package of projects such as the Suburban Rail Loop and Metro Tunnel.

During the Victorian Government's response to the COVID-19 health emergency, Allan became a member of the Crisis Council of Cabinet, serving as the Minister for the Coordination of Transport – COVID-19. In this role, she became responsible for leading all COVID-19 response activities across the transport portfolio.

Premier of Victoria (2023–present)

Following the resignation of Daniel Andrews on 26 September 2023, a party caucus was held the following day. Allan was elected as Leader of the Labor Party and consequently the 49th Premier of Victoria unopposed after negotiations within party factions. She is the second woman, after Joan Kirner, to lead the state.

On 8 February 2024, Allan delivered an apology to Victorians who experienced historical abuse and neglect as children in institutional care.

On 19 May, while attending the Labor State Conference, Allan was impacted by a protest in opposition to Labor policies regarding the ongoing Israel Hamas conflict. Security and police found themselves outnumbered by the rally, and Allan and the Australian prime minister were temporarily detained within the venue. Allan later spoke against the protesters, accusing them of bringing violence, antisemitism and homophobia to the event, which she said disgusted her. A statement from Trade Unionists for Palestine said it had support from numerous unions for the demonstration, as well as other pro-Palestinian groups such as Mums for Palestine. "ALP in both state and federal government is aiding and abetting the genocide of Palestinian people and must be called out and condemned at every opportunity," the statement said.

Allan has been a strong supporter of increasing housing supply. In 2024, she announced a proposal to overhaul planning rules to allow taller buildings and increased housing density near train and tram stations in Melbourne.

Electoral history

Personal life

Allan is married to Yorick Piper, a former ministerial advisor, with whom she has two children. She lives in Bendigo East with her family.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allan, Jacinta
1973 births
Living people
Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Victoria
Australian republicans
Labor Left politicians
Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Premiers of Victoria
Deputy premiers of Victoria
Ministers for women (Victoria)
Politicians from Bendigo
21st-century Australian politicians
21st-century Australian women politicians
Women members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Ministers for education services (Victoria)
Ministers for skills and workforce participation (Victoria)
Women's ministers of Australia
La Trobe University alumni
Ministers for transport infrastructure (Victoria)
Ministers for the Suburban Rail Loop
Ministers for public transport (Victoria)
Ministers for employment (Victoria)
Ministers for youth (Victoria)
Ministers for major projects (Victoria)
Ministers for regional development (Victoria)
Women heads of government of Australian states and territories