Bellarine MP Lisa Neville has been named the new Minister for Police in a state government reshuffle.
Premier Daniel Andrews said he reshuffled the ministries to accommodate the return from a leave of absence of former police minister Wade Noonan.
He said Ms Neville will take on the police portfolio to “ensure law and order remains front and centre of the Government’s agenda”.
He said Ms Neville will support Victoria Police in responding to gang-related crime, gun crime, terrorist threats, and family violence.
Ms Neville will retain the water portfolio to ensure continuity in drought response and the delivery of the Government’s water projects.
Mr Noonan was handed the portfolios of Industry and Employment and Resources.
Transport minister Jacinta Allan, who came in for stark criticism over the recent V/Line debacle, will also take on Major Projects.
Lily D’Ambrosio will take on a new portfolio of Energy, Environment and Climate Change as well as Suburban Development.
Training and Skills Minister Steve Herbert takes on the Corrections portfolio as well as International Education.
“Lisa Neville will drive the Government’s ongoing law and order agenda, in partnership with Victoria Police, to keep our state safe,” Mr Andrews said.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy said the reshuffle was like Fremantle’s selectors swapping their centre-half forward with centre-half back and thinking they were going to win the premiership.
“Lisa Neville, who was the worst minister responsible for child protection in a generation in the former Brumby Government, is now in charge of public safety and protecting the community from the Apex Gang,” Mr Guy said.
“The Apex Gang will hardly be quivering in their boots about the appointment of Lisa Neville and Steve Herbert.
“The mixture of some of the portfolios given to individual minsters appears as though Daniel Andrews has drawn the names out of a hat.
There is no natural complement between some of the multiple portfolios that some ministers are managing.”
Mr Guy cited Ms Neville’s combination of Water and Police as an example.
