POWER has moved to the west after Tarneit MP Tim Pallas was named as shadow treasurer.
Mr Pallas was promoted to the role on Monday, taking over from Tim Holding who resigned from politics last Friday.
Mr Pallas has a long history in politics, having risen from assistant secretary of the ACTU, then chief of staff to former premier Steve Bracks.
He was elected to the seat in 2006 and for the past two years has been opposition spokesman for employment, industrial relations, ports, major projects and infrastructure and freight and logistics. He will retain his position as jobs spokesman.
He said his new role would be separate from his work in his electorate, but Tarneit voters “need to take some comfort” they had a representative in a high position.
He said the community was feeling growing pains and job losses, and he would hold the government to account on these issues. Mr Pallas has campaigned for the government to fund a full diamond interchange at Duncans Road, Werribee South to improve access to and from Geelong.
He has also called for the site of the former Glen Devon Primary School to be used as a community education centre and sought the upgrade of level crossings in the electorate after a woman was killed at Werribee’s Cherry Street crossing last May.
Mr Pallas has also been outspoken about the east-west link project, saying the western end needed to be built first to give western suburbs residents alternative access to the city.
Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said the appointment reflected Mr Pallas’s strong skill set.
“Tim Pallas has an impeccable track record to set out an alternative vision for growth, job security and business engagement.”
Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins has taken over from Mr Pallas as spokeswoman for ports, freight and logistics, and industrial relations.
