Labor’s old hand treasurer Tim Pallas departs, leaving a dilemma for Jacinta Allan

Resignation of the ‘humble staffer who maybe got a little bit ahead of himself’ hands Victorian premier need for cabinet reshuffle

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When Labor premiers faced a problem, they often turned to Tim Pallas for a solution. Whether it was Steve Bracks navigating a minority government in 1999, or Daniel Andrews during the pandemic, Pallas has been a trusted strategist and a steady hand for more than two decades.

But the current premier, Jacinta Allan, now faces her first dilemma without Pallas’ counsel after more than a year in the top job: who to replace him as treasurer.

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