The Hon. Ben Carroll MP
Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Minister for Medical Research
Ben Carroll was born and raised in Airport West where his family have lived for over 40 years. Ben has over 20 years of experience in public service, including as a lawyer for the Victorian Government, and as an adviser to former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks.
First elected as the Member for Niddrie on 24 March 2012, Ben was appointed the Minister for Industry and Employment in October 2017. In this role, he oversaw the implementation of the Local Jobs First legislation and Australia’s first Social Procurement Framework.
Following the 2018 Victorian State Election, Ben was appointed the Minister for Crime Prevention, Corrections, Youth Justice and Victim Support.
In June 2020, Ben was appointed the Minister for Public Transport, Roads and Road Safety.
In July 2022, Ben added Minister for Industry Support and Recovery and Business Precincts to his existing portfolio responsibilities of Public Transport, Roads and Road Safety. In these roles, Ben focused on ensuring Victoria’s transport network and industry policies provided access to opportunity, supported the transition to net zero emissions, and contributed towards a fairer society.
Following the 2022 Victorian State Election, Ben added the portfolios of Minister for Industry and Innovation, Manufacturing Sovereignty and Employment to his existing portfolio responsibility of Public Transport.
In October 2023, Ben became the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Medical Research.
Contact: Ben Carroll MP - Member for Niddrie
Hon. Lizzie Blandthorn MP
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, Minister for Children and Minister for Disability
Minister Blandthorn was elected to the Victorian Parliament’s Legislative Assembly as the Member for Pascoe Vale in 2014. She was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council representing the Western Metropolitan Region in November 2022. Minister Blandthorn has been the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council and Minister for Disability since December 2022, and has been the Minister for Children since October 2023.
The Minister for Children oversees Victoria’s early childhood education and care system and the delivery of the nation-leading Best Start, Best Life reforms, including universally funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and Pre-Prep. Access to quality early childhood education for all Victorian children is critical, including for children with disability or developmental delays. The Minister is also responsible for driving improvements to Victoria’s child protection and family services system, and the maternal and child healthcare system, providing a whole-of-government focus on child development and wellbeing.
Contact: Lizzie Blandthorn MP - Member for Western Metropolitan Region
Secretary Jenny Atta PSM
Jenny Atta has been Secretary of the Department of Education (the department) since March 2019 and a senior executive in the Victorian Public Service for many years. She has held leadership roles in the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) as well as social policy portfolios. In 2021, Jenny was awarded a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to strategic social policy reform and delivery in Victoria.
As Secretary of the department Jenny has responsibility for the management, oversight and delivery of the government school system in Victoria, as well as landmark reforms in early childhood education aiming to deliver transformative social as well as economic benefits for the state.
Jenny holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Master of Public Policy and was awarded a Public Service Medal in June 2021 for outstanding public service to strategic social policy reform and delivery in Victoria. In 2019, Jenny was inducted as an Institute of Public Administration Australia Victorian Fellow.
Deputy Secretaries
The department’s Deputy Secretaries and the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian School Building Authority are directly responsible for each group within the departmental structure.
- Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood Education: Ms Bronwen FitzGerald
- Deputy Secretary, Financial Policy and Information Services; Mr Tony Bates
- Acting Deputy Secretary, First Nations Strategy, Policy and Programs: Ms Angela Singh
- Deputy Secretary, People and Executive Services: Ms Kate Rattigan
- Acting Deputy Secretary, Policy, Strategy and Performance: Mr Alex Kamenev
- Deputy Secretary, School Education Programs and Support: Mr Stephen Fraser
- Deputy Secretary, Schools and Regional Services: Dr David Howes
- Deputy Secretary, Schools Workforce: Ms Andrea Del Monaco
- Chief Executive Officer, Victorian School Building Authority: Mr Tom Kirkland
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