State Member for Eureka Michaela Settle has been named as the new water minister and minister for rural and regional development.
Ms Settle will continue as the agriculture minister, a role that she took on in April.
Ms Settle’s electorate covers the south-east of Ballarat and the surrounding area.
She was originally elected to the seat of Buninyong in 2018, which was abolished and replaced by Eureka in 2022.
The region includes a mix of urban and rural locations with areas known for poultry, sheep, beef and pig farming and horticulture.
Ms Settle has lived in regional Victoria for most of her life and operated her family’s sheep farm in Ararat for over a decade before she began working at Ballarat Community Health as the marketing manager.
Ms Settle has also worked for two wineries, Captains Creek Farm and Garden Gully Winery.
State Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes will remain as the Leader of Government in the Legislative Council but has lost the role of treasurer.
She previously held the portfolios of industrial relations and development Victoria and precincts.
Ms Symes will now take on energy and resources, climate action, environment and State Electricity Commission.
Mr Carroll has reduced the size of the Victorian Cabinet, which he said is to save taxpayers money.
Victorian Farmers Federation president Ryan Milgate said “four months out from the Victorian election, this opportunity to reset the relationship with farmers and regional Victoria can’t be missed.”
“Our roads are a disgrace, the flawed fire services tax must be axed forever and generational farming families still feel like collateral damage in the fierce competition for farmland,” Mr Milgate said.
“I look forward to meeting with this new lineup of decision makers to share our members’ priorities.”
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