Friday 24 June 2022 02:48 AM Dan Andrews cabinet reshuffle after James Merlino, Martin Foley, Martin Pakula, ... trends now
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Four senior ministers in Daniel Andrews' government, including the deputy premier and health minister, will leave the cabinet immediately after announcing their retirement from politics.
In what will require a major reshuffle of the Victorian cabinet, Mr Andrews on Friday confirmed Deputy Premier James Merlino, Health Minister Martin Foley, Sports Minister Martin Pakula and Police Minister Lisa Neville would not recontest their seats at this year's state election, held on November 26.
Mr Andrews said the senior ministers were 'people who have devoted so much of their working life to making our state fairer and stronger' and described them as 'people of great character who can be so so proud of all that they have been part of.'
Deputy Premier James Merlino (left) and Health Minister Martin Foley (right) confirmed they would be stepping down to focus on being fathers and spending more time with their kids
In a statement, Deputy Premier James Merlino and Martin Foley both said a major factor was they wanted to focus on being good fathers and spend more time with their children.
Mr Merlino said he would step back from his portfolios, including education, and would not recontest his seat of Monbulk at the upcoming state election in November.
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