'Manosphere' in sights as premier shakes up cabinet

Allan
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has outlined her new cabinet at a swearing in ceremony. -AAP Image

The infiltration of the manosphere into Australian boys and young men's minds has sparked the creation of a new state ministry role.

ictorian Premier Jacinta Allan's new cabinet was sworn-in at Government House in Melbourne on Wednesday morning.

She picked Harriet Shing to become health minister, replacing Mary-Anne Thomas as she and three other veterans bow out of politics at the November state election.

Ms Shing will also take on ambulance services and return to her previous role as water minister.

Health was a major political battleground at the 2022 Victorian election following the COVID-19 pandemic and is tipped to be a focus of the 2026 campaign, with public health systems across the nation remaining stretched.

The 49-year-old upper house MP, who was the first openly lesbian member of Victorian parliament, described her promotion as an enormous privilege rather than a potential headache.

"I'm the daughter of a local GP and I'm the granddaughter of a nurse," Ms Shing said.

"I know first hand just how hard our extraordinary health workforce works."

Box Hill MP Paul Hamer, Kororoit MP Luba Grigorovitch, Eureka MP Michaela Settle and Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke were all sworn into their new roles.

Mr Hamer debuts in local government, youth justice and corrections, Ms Grigorovitch gets youth, carers and volunteers and Ms Settle tackles agriculture and regional development.

Mr Edbrook was handed consumer affairs, as well as the new portfolios of renters, cost of living and men and boys.

The inaugural men and boys minister said he had recently watched Louis Theroux's Inside the Manosphere documentary and found it "quite shocking".

"That is part of the issue we're looking at now where these people, influencers, they are having for want of a better word influence on young Victorian men and it's definitely unhealthy."

Men and boys are facing different challenges and pressures from five to 10 years ago, Ms Allan said.

"We cannot deny that there has been societal change," she said.

In another high-profile move, Attorney-General and Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny brushed aside workload concerns after adding finance and violence reduction to her list of responsibilities.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, who unveiled an election pitch on Wednesday to boost bail and sentencing laws for children, suggested Ms Kilkenny didn't deserve her promotion.

"To see the attorney-general given another portfolio when she has mismanaged being the first law officer (of) the state ... I think should be of concern to Victorians," Ms Wilson said.

Elsewhere, Nick Staikos replaced Ms Shing as housing and Suburban Rail Loop minister, women and girls was piled onto the plate of Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams and Police Minister Anthony Carbines became the government's lower house leader.