Ben Carroll names ministry, adds new artificial intelligence portfolio

Ben Carroll adds artificial intelligence ministry to Victorian cabinet, dumps transport infrastructure

Ben Carroll took over from Jacinta Allan as Victorian Premier last week. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has named his new frontbench after taking the Labor leadership from Jacinta Allan last week.

His ministry includes a new portfolio of Minister for Artificial Intelligence, which will be filled by former police minister Anthony Carbines.

There's no longer a Minister for Transport Infrastructure and the Suburban Rail Loop.

New Victorian premier Ben Carroll has announced the make-up of his cabinet, including a new ministry dedicated to ethical and responsible artificial intelligence development.

Ally of former premier Jacinta Allan, Jaclyn Symes, has lost the treasury to Colin Brooks, who will also take on industrial relations.

Mr Brooks said it was an honour to be appointed as treasurer.

"I grew up in small business household," he said.

"Mum worked in a retail ladieswear shop on a main street where I grew up and so it's fantastic to be able to put those principles that she taught me and my dad taught me around budgeting and simple things you can do running a business into place in terms of running the state."

Rebuilding the relationship with business will be a key focus, he said.

Colin Brooks has been elevated to treasurer in the new Carroll government. (ABC News)

Ms Symes has been moved to energy and resources, the State Electricity Commission, climate action and environment, while remaining the leader of the government in the Legislative Council.

Sonya Kilkenny, who at one stage looked to challenge Mr Carroll for the leadership, remains attorney-general and planning minister, but will also become the new minister for prevention of family violence.

Anthony Carbines hands over the police ministry to Paul Edbrooke, who will also add emergency services, crime prevention and the multicultural affairs portfolio to his swag.

Anthony Carbines will become the minister for the new portfolio of artificial intelligence and digital economy. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

That allows Mr Carbines to take on the new ministry — artificial intelligence and digital economy.

Mr Carroll said Mr Carbines's role would include focusing on ensuring AI developments are ethical and responsible, as well as promoting innovative digital investment.

"Artificial intelligence is the biggest transformation going through society and the economy right now," Mr Carroll said.

"My government will be focused on workers.

"Artificial intelligence is a great opportunity but it also needs guard rails and regulatory reform so I want a voice at the cabinet table on that."

He said data centre developments would be part of Mr Carbine's remit.

As part of Mr Carroll's plan to reduce to size of frontbench, Mr Carbines remains the racing minister and leader of the house while taking on major events, medical research and economic development.

New police minister Paul Edbrooke says he will focus on community safety and police resources. (ABC News)

Mr Edbrooke said as the new police minister, he would focus on community safety and police resourcing.

"My first phone calls will be to some of my colleagues in The Police Association, police command, the chief commissioner, to get the information we need to go forward and support the premier's agenda."

Transport infrastructure dumped in new cabinet

A big exclusion from Mr Carroll's government is the transport infrastructure ministry.

The department has been a focus of the Labor government for several years, overseeing Victoria's major rail, road, public transport and freight projects including the Metro Tunnel, the Level Crossing Removal Project and the Suburban Rail Loop.

It has previously been filled by Jacinta Allan and most recently by Gabrielle Williams, who became deputy premier under the leadership change.

Tim Richardson (left), was promoted to Premier Ben Carroll's cabinet on Monday. (ABC News)

Ms Williams will be responsible for women and gender equality, skills and training and First Peoples.

She also takes the education portfolio from Mr Carroll as the disruptive industrial relations dispute with the state's public school teachers continues.

Ahead of being sworn into her new ministries at Government House, Ms Williams said her highest priority was to work with the union to try to come to an agreement.

"I will be rolling my sleeves up as soon as we're out of here today to make sure that we get on and progress those negotiations so that we can get a solution that everybody can be happy with and ultimately respects the work of our hardworking educators and education support staff," she said.

New addition to the cabinet Tim Richardson will be the minister for local government, consumer affairs and renters.

Artifical Intelligence and Digital Economy

Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation

Industry and Advanced Manufacturing

Housing, Building and Precincts

Mr Carroll said his ministers would take the government in a new direction.

"A government that will fight every day for working people, a government that will fix things," he said.

He denied the dumping of the transport infrastructure portfolio was a precursor to cancelling the Suburban Rail Loop project.

He also defended abolishing the portfolio dedicated to reducing cost of living.

"Every portfolio will be driving down cost of living, whether it's in education, whether it's in energy and resources," he said.

"We are running a smaller government, a more efficient and more effective government where it extracts the best value for taxpayers.

"I've considered this very carefully, whether it's the public transport minister being in charge of both infrastructure and services, whether it's the roads minister being in charge of both roads and infrastructure."

There is also no longer a minster for men and boys.

Jess Wilson says Ben Carroll is trying to distance himself from major construction project scandals. (ABC News)

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said Ben Caroll was simply "shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic".

"The same faces that have been around the cabinet table for years endorsing decisions by Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan," she said.

She accused Mr Carroll of eliminating references to the Big Build to try to distance Labor from allegations of corruption in the construction industry.