Jaclyn Symes

{{Short description|Australian politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Jaclyn Symes

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| honorific-suffix = MLC

| image = Jaclyn_Symes.png

| birthname = Jaclyn Symes

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Benalla, Victoria, Australia

| office = Treasurer of Victoria

| premier = Jacinta Allan

| term_start = 19 December 2024

| term_end =

| predecessor = Tim Pallas

| successor =

| office1 = Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council

| premier1 = Daniel Andrews
Jacinta Allan

| term_start1 = 23 March 2020

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 = Gavin Jennings

| successor1 =

| office2 = Minister for Regional Development

| premier2 = Jacinta Allan

| term_start2 = 19 December 2024

| term_end2 =

| predecessor2 = Gayle Tierney

| successor2 =

| premier3 = Daniel Andrews

| term_start3 = 29 November 2018

| term_end3 = 22 December 2020

| predecessor3 = Jaala Pulford

| successor3 = Mary-Anne Thomas

| office4 = Minister for Emergency Services

| premier4 = Daniel Andrews
Jacinta Allan

| term_start4 = 23 August 2021

| term_end4 = 19 December 2024

| predecessor4 = Lisa Neville

| successor4 = Vicki Ward

| office5 = 55th Attorney-General of Victoria

| premier5 = Daniel Andrews
Jacinta Allan

| term_start5 = 22 December 2020

| term_end5 = 19 December 2024

| predecessor5 = Jill Hennessy

| successor5 = Sonya Kilkenny

| office6 = Minister for Resources

| premier6 = Daniel Andrews

| term_start6 = 29 November 2018

| term_end6 = 23 August 2021

| predecessor6 = Tim Pallas

| successor6 = Jaala Pulford

| office7 = Minister for Agriculture

| premier7 = Daniel Andrews

| term_start7 = 29 November 2018

| term_end7 = 22 December 2020

| predecessor7 = Jaala Pulford

| successor7 = Mary-Anne Thomas

| office8 = Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Northern Victoria Region

| term_start8 = 29 November 2014

| party = Labor Party

| alma_mater = Deakin University

| website = {{URL|https://www.jaclynsymes.com.au/}}

}}

Jaclyn Symes is an Australian politician and the Treasurer of Victoria. She is a Labor member of the Victorian Legislative Council, having represented Northern Victoria Region since 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/results/legislative-council/nvic/|title=Northern Victoria Region|last=Green|first=Antony|author-link=Antony Green|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}

Symes worked for five years as a ministerial advisor for Rob Hulls, the Victorian Deputy Premier and Attorney-General. When the Labor Party lost government in 2010, Symes transferred to Hulls' electoral office. In 2011, she became pregnant and applied for maternity leave entitlements accrued during her employment with the Department of Premier and Cabinet, but was informed that as she was now employed by the Parliament of Victoria, she could not access the entitlement without dispensation from the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. The Speaker, Ken Smith, declined the request, and the matter was referred to the Fair Work Commission by the Community and Public Sector Union.{{cite news|last1=Savage|first1=Alison|title=ALP staffer denied maternity leave by speaker|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-03-24/alp-staffer-denied-maternity-leave-by-speaker/2644276|accessdate=19 December 2014|work=ABC News|date=25 March 2011}} Premier Ted Baillieu intervened and referred the matter to the Public Sector Standards Commissioner to resolve any inconsistencies in the government's employment policies.{{cite news|last1=Jenkins|first1=Melissa|title=Baillieu intervenes on maternity leave|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/baillieu-intervenes-on-maternity-leave-20110324-1c7th.html|accessdate=19 December 2014|date=24 March 2011}}

In November 2018, Symes was appointed as Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional Development and Minister for Resources. In March 2020, Symes became the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.

On 22 December 2020, Symes was appointed the new Attorney-General of Victoria, replacing Jill Hennessy, who had stepped down from the ministry to spend more time with her teenage daughters as they went through high school.{{cite web |last1=Willingham |first1=Richard |title=Jaclyn Symes sworn in to replace Jill Hennessy as Victorian Attorney-General |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-22/new-victorian-attorney-general-jaclyn-symes-sworn-in/13007006 |website=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=22 December 2020 |access-date=19 June 2021}} In August 2021, Symes was appointed as Minister for Emergency Services but relinquished her resources portfolio.{{cite web |title=Member Profile - The Hon. Jaclyn Symes |url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/about/people-in-parliament/members-search/list-all-members/details/22/116 |website=Parliament of Victoria |access-date=8 March 2022}}

Following the resignation of Tim Pallas in December 2024, Symes became the first female treasurer of Victoria on 19 December 2024, and became just the second treasurer in Victoria's history from the Legislative Council, after John Lenders.{{Cite web |last=Rooney |first=Rachel Eddie, Kieran |date=2024-12-19 |title=Women win in Allan’s cabinet reshuffle, as Pearson suffers a blow |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/women-win-in-allen-s-cabinet-reshuffle-as-pearson-suffers-a-blow-20241219-p5kzmj.html |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=The Age |language=en}}

Symes completed a Bachelor of Laws at Deakin University in 2002.{{cite web |title=The Hon. Jaclyn Symes |url=https://parliament.vic.gov.au/about/people-in-parliament/members-search/list-all-members/details/22/116 |website=Parliament of Victoria |access-date=20 December 2020}}

Symes is a member of the Australian Workers Union component of the Victorian Labor Right.{{cite web |last1=Ilanbey |first1=Sumeyya |last2=Sakkal |first2=Paul |title=Andrews boosts internal grip on power, two ministers in firing line for demotion |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/andrews-boosts-internal-grip-on-power-two-ministers-in-firing-line-for-demotion-20221201-p5c305.html |website=The Age |access-date=3 December 2022}}