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

Outgoing Victorian treasurer Tim Pallas, the state’s longest serving, and premier Jacinta Allan. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

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.