Victorian minister Jaala Pulford to quit politics
Victorian frontbencher Jaala Pulford is quitting politics, joining the mass exodus of Andrews government senior MPs at next month’s state election.
Pulford will remain in her portfolios of employment, small business, resources and innovation, medical research, and the digital economy until November 26, but will not recontest the election, marking an end to her 16-year career in parliament.
Jaala Pulford has announced she will be quitting politics. Credit:Wayne Taylor
“Around the time of the 2006 Commonwealth Games my family was driving through Melbourne. My husband Jeff pointed out a big building and said, ‘Hey kids, mum is going to work there’,” Pulford said in a statement on Friday.
“Four-year-old Sinead exclaimed to her little brother, ‘It’s a fairy castle’.”
Pulford lost Sinead to cancer shortly after the 2014 election. Sinead was 13 years old.
“We still call Parliament House ‘fairy castle’, and while that may never change, the time has come for me to seek new challenges,” Pulford said.
She joins the mass exodus from Premier Daniel Andrews’ cabinet since the last election.
James Merlino (deputy premier), Martin Foley (health), Lisa Neville (police) and Martin Pakula (industry support, tourism and sport) vacated their portfolios in June when they announced their plans to retire at the election.
The Labor Party has lost several other senior ministers over the past three years. Former special minister of state Gavin Jennings retired from politics in 2020, while former attorney-general Jill Hennessy and Planning Minister Richard Wynne announced in 2021 that they would not stand for re-election.
Adem Somyurek, Marlene Kairouz, Robin Scott and Luke Donnellan were forced to resign amid Labor’s branch-stacking scandal. Former health minister Jenny Mikakos resigned in 2020, a day after Andrews said he held her “accountable” for the botched COVID hotel quarantine program.
Pulford, who lives in Ballarat, has represented the Western Victoria region in the upper house since 2006 and became the state’s first female agriculture minister. She has also held the portfolios of regional development, roads, road safety and the Transport Accident Commission, as well as fishing and boating.
Victorian minister Jaala Pulford outside Sunshine Hospital in 2020.Credit:Paul Jeffers
She was the deputy leader of the government in the Legislative Council between 2014 and 2018 and was instrumental in steering through legislation to legalise medicinal cannabis.
The 48-year-old said serving people who relied on Labor governments had been a “tremendous honour”, but it was time for her to make way for the next generation. She thanked her husband Jeff, son Hamish, parents Brenda and Kelly, siblings Melina and Jamie, and father-in-law Bob.
Jaala Pulford with her daughter Sinead. Sinead died eight years ago.
“The families of politicians put up with a great deal,” Pulford said. “Special occasions, milestones and celebrations are missed. Schoolyard injuries are recounted over the phone. Attendance doesn’t always mean presence. Plans are deferred or denied.”
Pulford earlier this week reflected on the loss of her daughter to cancer when she stood alongside Andrews for a $35 million election commitment to fund paediatric cancer research to transform treatments for sick children.
“Three days ago my daughter should have been 21, and we lit some candles,” Pulford said on Sunday. “I truly believe this plan will make for the lighting of more birthday candles and less memorial candles.”
Andrews described Pulford as a “devoted advocate” for working people and thanked her for her service.
“To see her continue to manage her ministerial responsibilities with such heart, while holding onto that pain [of losing her daughter], was nothing short of remarkable,” Andrews said.
“She made the Victorian Parliament a kinder, more thoughtful place. She gave us all cause to reflect and to garner a little perspective. She will be sorely missed by many on both sides of the aisle.”
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