Jacinta Marie Allan is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1999, representing the electorate of Bendigo East. Allan is the longest serving Victorian female Minister in the State’s history and Victoria’s longest serving Labor Minister. She was Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Employment in the First Andrews Ministry from December 2014 to December 2018, Following the Labor Party’s victory at the 2018 Victorian state election, Allan was appointed Minister for Transport Infrastructure in the Second Andrews Ministry. As part of the Victorian Government’s response to the COVID-19 health emergency, Allan was one of seven Ministers appointed to the Crisis Council of Cabinet, serving as the Minister for the Coordination of Transport - COVID-19. Allan previously held a range of ministries in the Bracks Ministry and Brumby Ministry. Throughout her career Allan has advocated strongly for Government investment that delivers for all Victorians, by creating jobs and delivering better health, education and transport services for communities. A member of a prominent Bendigo political family, she is the granddaughter of the late Bendigo Trades Hall Council President William Allan.
Political career
Allan served in the political offices of Steve Gibbons and Neil O'Keefe after completing her BA at La Trobe University in Bendigo. Allan was first elected at the 1999 state election at the age of 25, making her the youngest ever female parliamentarian in Victoria. She entered the ministry after the 2002 election, serving as Minister for Education Services and Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs. 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 after Martin Pakula became Transport Minister following the resignation of Lynne Kosky. Allan was targeted by Right to Life organisations during her election campaign in 2010, having voted for abortion reform in parliament during 2008. This targeting did not appear to have influenced her vote. She retained her seat with only a slight swing against her. 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. After the 2014 Victorian state election, Allan was appointed as Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Employment. At the 2018 Victorian state election, Allan was re-elected as the Member for Bendigo East, delivering a 7.1% swing towards the Labor party. Following Labor’s victory, Allan was appointed Minister for Transport Infrastructure and is now leading the delivery of the largest investment in transport projects in Victoria’s history. This includes the removal of 75 of Melbourne’s most dangerous and congested level crossings, the construction of the Metro Tunnel, the Suburban Rail Loop, Melbourne Airport Rail, and the Regional Rail Revival package, which will make improvements to every passenger line on Victoria’s regional network. Allan is responsible for the delivery of Victoria’s major road projects including the West Gate Tunnel, North East Link and upgrades to key suburban and regional road networks. As part of the Victorian Government’s response to the COVID-19 health emergency, Allan is currently a member of the Crisis Council of Cabinet serving as the Minister for the Coordination of Transport - COVID-19. In this role, she has responsibility for leading all COVID-19 response activities across the transport portfolio.
Personal life
Allan was born and grew up in Bendigo and went to school at St Joseph’s Primary School in Quarry Hill then Catholic College Bendigo, before completing her studies BA at La Trobe University in Bendigo. Allan is married and has two young children who attend the local primary school.
