“Time for me to make way”: Victorian Small Business Minister Jaala Pulford to stand down at November election

Victorian Small Business Minister Jaala Pulford will not recontest the November state election, ending her 16-year tenure in state politics and leaving a vacancy in the Labor government’s employment portfolio.

Pulford announced her decision not to stand for re-election at next month’s poll on Friday afternoon, saying it is “time for me to make way for the next generation” of Victorian lawmakers.

“I’m conscious that I’m making this decision on the eve of a state election but I’m absolutely confident that the time is right for me, and for the government,” Pulford said in a statement.

“For as long as I’ve known her, Jaala has been a devoted advocate for working people,” Premier Daniel Andrews said in a separate statement.

Since taking to office in 2006, Pulford has held nine portfolios, most recently in innovation, medical research and the digital economy, resources, employment, and small business areas.

Pulford oversaw many of Victoria’s small business support measures through the COVID-19 pandemic, including rent relief for commercial tenants, and mental health support for small business owners.

In the state’s May budget, Pulford’s portfolio announced a $10 million Business Acceleration Fund designed to “cut red-tape and streamline regulations” facing business owners, and topped up the Specialist Advice Pathways program, which subsidised accounting, bookkeeping, tax and legal advice services for eligible SMEs.

Her time in office also coincided with the state government’s Business Costs Assistance Program, which provided thousands of dollars in handouts to small businesses that lost trade through the state’s lengthy COVID-19 lockdowns.

While the scheme was hailed as a lifeline for many traders, some small business owners claimed conflicting eligibility advice provided by the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) saw them missing out on funding.

After business owners sought answers from Pulford’s office, the DJPR confirmed it would reassess some claims it initially rejected.

In her statement, Pulford reflected on the resiliency of Victorian small businesses through the pandemic.

“Small businesses weathered the shock of a generation,” she said.

“They looked after their people and their communities. Their efforts saved lives.”

Pulford is set to remain in her portfolios until the November 26 poll.