‘I don’t just ditch my mates’: New minister defends CFMEU links

Premier Jacinta Allan has locked in a wide-ranging reshuffle of her frontbench team, shifting senior figures to new portfolios to prepare Labor to fight November’s state election.

The party’s caucus on Tuesday elevated Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke, Eureka MP Michaela Settle, Box Hill MP Paul Hamer and Kororoit MP Luba Grigorovitch into cabinet, with Grigorovitch immediately forced to head off criticism about her ties to controversial former CFMEU boss John Setka.

Harriet Shing has taken over the crucial health portfolio from the retiring Mary-Anne Thomas.

Three weeks out from the state budget, Enver Erdogan has claimed the environment portfolio from Steve Dimopoulos, who has assumed outgoing minister Danny Pearson’s responsibilities for economic growth. ‎

Colin Brooks, a qualified electrician, has taken over the portfolio of TAFE and skills. Police Minister Anthony Carbines has become the government’s leader of the lower house.

Edbrooke, who has been appointed cost-of-living minister, was first elected to parliament when Labor came to power in 2014. Hamer, the new minister for local government and youth justice, and Settle, who now handles the regional development and agriculture portfolios, were elected in the landslide election in 2018. Grigorovitch, who picked up the youth ministry, entered parliament in 2022.

Hamer emerged as a late contender for the fourth spot, pitting him against Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson, before ultimately securing enough support to be elevated. Backers of Hamer and Richardson were frantically trying to shore up support before Tuesday’s vote.

Before being elected, Grigorovitch was the state secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union from 2014 to 2022.

She has also been a friend of Setka, prompting internal attacks that her connection to the ex-CFMEU chief could damage the government’s reputation in the wake of The Age’s Building Bad investigation into corruption on construction sites.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Grigorovitch said she had never hid from the fact that she been a union secretary for nearly a decade and had working relationships with multiple union leaders.

“I’m not walking away. I don’t just ditch my mates when things get tough, but I have not spoken to John in a very long time,” she said.

When asked if she would answer a phone call from Setka, Grigorovitch said it would depend on what the call was about.

“I have a very strong, proud record of standing up for working people, day in, day out, and I continue to do that every single day in the west. And now I’ve got the opportunity to step up as a minister,” she said.

Shadow attorney-general James Newbury immediately attacked Grigorovitch’s promotion, arguing she should have been denied the position.

Grigorovitch said the opposition should be focused on other matters important to Victorians.

“To me, James Newbury is completely irrelevant,” she said.

Edbrooke has worked as a firefighter and teacher. He made headlines in 2023 when he survived an emergency landing in a light aeroplane and weeks later helped resuscitate a man who was having trouble breathing.

The Frankston MP said he had a keen interest in education, even though he was unlikely to secure that portfolio from Deputy Premier Ben Carroll.

“I’ve always wanted to make a larger contribution, though, and I think this is the way to do it,” he said.

Edbrooke once had a reputation for being one of the MPs most likely to be ejected from the chamber by the Speaker. The Age revealed in 2024 he had been booted nine times that year, while Settle was ejected on 12 occasions.

“I’ve not been removed from parliament in question time for quite some time, at least three weeks,” Edbrooke said. “I have been made aware that the Speaker can hear my voice crawl on the frontbench a little bit louder.”

A long-time regional Victorian, Settle owned and operated a family sheep farm in Ararat for a decade, and Hamer was a civil engineer before winning what was once a safe Liberal seat in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Settle said portfolios were ultimately decided by the premier, but Allan knew she was passionate about improving services outside Melbourne.

“Certainly around the cabinet table, I will always be waving the flag for regional Victoria,” she said.

Hamer said he was honoured to become a minister and was passionate about education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects.

“If you asked me, 10 years ago, did I see myself being in this position? I would have told you probably to stop smoking, whatever you were smoking,” he said.

Allan will now assign these MPs with portfolios as part of a broader reshuffle of cabinet positions, which will be confirmed on Wednesday.

The new ministers replace Thomas, Pearson and Water Minister Gayle Tierney, who stood down on Monday and confirmed they would not recontest their seats in November. Natalie Hutchins had earlier announced her retirement.