Four newcomers were elevated to the Victorian Labor government's front bench on Tuesday, replacing retiring ministers Mary-Anne Thomas, Danny Pearson, Gayle Tierney and Natalie Hutchins.
Kororoit MP Luba Grigorovitch, Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke, Eureka MP Michaela Settle and Box Hill MP Paul Hamer were elected unopposed after factional negotiations.
Ms Grigorovitch, the former state secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, won support from the party's right for one of the vacancies.
Her elevation to cabinet has come under scrutiny over her connection to former Victorian CFMEU secretary John Setka, who attended her wedding at Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula in 2023.
Mr Edbrooke is arguably best known for surviving a skydiving plane crash and resuscitating a man in the space of a week in 2023, while Ms Settle once owned and operated her family's Ararat sheep farm before moving into community health.
The party's left swung in behind Mr Edbrooke, Ms Settle and Mr Hamer, who secured the final cabinet spot over Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson.
Mr Richardson, who did not formally nominate in the caucus meeting, talked up his colleagues as he exited.
"We've got some superstars in there," he said.
With the cabinet set, Premier Jacinta Allan faces the task of shuffling roles in a move that could be critical to Labor's election fortunes.
Labor has never won a fourth successive term in Victoria, falling short of the feat under the Cain-Kirner and Bracks-Brumby governments.
Monash University politics expert Zareh Ghazarian suggested renewal of the ministerial ranks would guard against a prevailing narrative the almost 12-year government had become "stale".
"When you've got high-profile ministers that have decided to call time, it takes a lot of collective memory away from the party room," Dr Ghazarian told AAP.
"But it opens the door for Jacinta Allan to have new faces to spruik a party that will appear more rejuvenated ... it can be a blessing in disguise."
None of the four MPs have previously served in cabinet.
Ms Thomas, Mr Pearson, Ms Tierney and Ms Hutchins collectively boasted more than 30 years of front bench experience.
Their departures also leave the health, finance and water portfolios up for grabs.
Despite the brain drain, Dr Ghazarian pointed out Victorian Labor managed an exodus of senior ministers ahead of the 2022 election.
James Merlino, Martin Foley, Lisa Neville and Martin Pakula all pulled the pin before Daniel Andrews steered the party to another thumping victory five months later.
The Allan government's new cabinet will be announced and sworn in on Wednesday at Government House.
12°C