Victoria’s newly appointed Premier, Ben Carroll, has initiated a significant reshuffle within the state’s public service leadership, casting uncertainty over the future of Jeroen Weimar, the secretary of the Department of Transport and Planning. The move comes amid broader changes following the recent resignations of former premier Jacinta Allan and several of her close allies.
On Friday, Carroll replaced Jeremi Moule, the former head of the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) and an Allan ally, with Chris Barrett, currently secretary of the Department of Treasury and Finance. Barrett is expected to assume the DPC role from Monday. The Premier highlighted Barrett’s extensive public service experience spanning Melbourne, Canberra, and international posts, emphasizing his capability to advise the government, coordinate across departments, and lead the Victorian Public Service with professionalism.
Barrett’s immediate priorities include advising Carroll and the incoming cabinet on a forthcoming royal commission into the construction sector, a commitment Carroll made amid calls for greater scrutiny of Victoria’s major infrastructure projects. This move was backed by Minister for Cost of Living Paul Edbrooke, who cited Allan’s previous reluctance to convene a royal commission as a key factor in the leadership change. Edbrooke stated he had concluded weeks earlier that change was necessary to address pressing community issues.
Weimar, a high-profile public servant known for his prior role as Victoria’s Covid-19 response commander during the pandemic’s early stages, had been closely associated with former Premier Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan. In that capacity, he regularly joined Andrews at press briefings during the state’s stringent lockdowns. Later, Andrews assigned Weimar to oversee preparations for the Commonwealth Games, a role that ended when the event was cancelled amid escalating costs. Currently, as transport and planning secretary, Weimar manages significant infrastructure projects, including the unfunded $34 billion Suburban Rail Loop, which has faced criticism over budget and timeline uncertainties.
Labor insiders indicate Weimar’s position is vulnerable under Carroll’s leadership, as the new administration appears intent on imprinting its own direction on the state bureaucracy. The Premier’s swift action in replacing Moule with Barrett signals a shift away from the previous government’s inner circle.
Separately, Geoffery Watson, a corruption investigator, underscored ongoing concerns regarding misconduct linked to the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) in Victoria’s public works. Watson’s recent “Rotting from the Top” report, presented to a Queensland inquiry earlier this year, alleges that CFMEU corruption has cost the Victorian economy approximately $15 billion. Despite these findings, Victoria’s Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny criticized the report as containing unfounded claims, and Police Minister Anthony Carbines dismissed it as lacking evidence. Watson testified again on Friday, describing the responses to his report as “bitterly critical,” while noting that no representatives of the Allan government had reached out regarding his findings.
The unfolding bureaucratic changes and ongoing investigations highlight the challenges facing Carroll’s administration as it seeks to reassert control over Victoria’s major infrastructure programs and address public confidence concerns. The new cabinet lineup is expected to be sworn in on Tuesday following the Left faction’s election of three new ministers on Monday.