Premier Colin Barnett has returned Troy Buswell to the front bench and Christian Porter will take on the role of Treasurer in a major front bench reshuffle announced today.
Premier Colin Barnett has returned Troy Buswell to the front bench and Christian Porter will take on the role of Treasurer in a major front bench reshuffle announced today.
After months of speculation, Mr Barnett has appointed Mr Buswell as Transport and Housing Minister.
He was dumped from cabinet earlier in the year after an affair with the member Fremantle Adele Carles and admitting to misusing tax payer funds.
Mr Buswell was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
Mr Porter takes over the treasury portfolio from Mr Barnett who stepped into the role after Mr Buswell was dumped.
He will continue in his role as Attorney General.
In all, there have been 15 portfolio changes, with Water Minister Graham Jacobs losing his portfolio and Helen Morton joining the front bench.
Ms Morton will take on the mental health and disabilities services portfolios.
Liz Constable has lost tourism but has retained education.
The Treasury portfolio has been split to include finance which will be taken on by Simon O'Brien who was moved sideways to make way for Mr Buswell.
Mr O'Brien also takes responsibility for small business and commerce.
Bill Marmion was stripped of the commerce portfolio and now has responsibility for environment and water.
Mr Barnett said the changes give a stronger cabinet which will see the government through the next two years.
He defended the re-appointment of Mr Buswell to cabinet.
"While Troy has made some mistakes in his behaviour I think we do need to keep it in some sort of context," Mr Barnett told the ABC.
"Troy has not done anything improper in a parliament sense.
"He let himself down, he let the government down when he was a minister before. He paid a price and he deserves to be given now the opportunity to return to the cabinet," Mr Barnett said.
The premier said he believes Mr Porter will be able to combine two tough portfolios.
"I believe Christian at Attorney General has done a wonderful job," he said.
"Much of the legislation in that area has now been completed so the work load will not be as heavy as it has been over the last two year.
"He's also got economic qualifications and I think is well suited to the treasury role."
Murray Cowper and Liza Havey have been appointed as new parliamentary secretaries.
Kim Hames adds tourism to his portfolio of health.
Opposition Leader Eric Ripper said Mr Buswell's return is a "huge risk" given his history and having already been embroiled in two allegations of workplace harassment.
"I think Mr Buswell will once again embarrass us and I regret that. That's bad for the people of WA that
once again we'll have to suffer some scandal associated with Mr Buswell." he said.
"Actually, West Australians talking to people interstate find they have to explain why someone with Mr Buswell's record is still prominent in WA politics," said Mr Ripper.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has warned the new cabinet they need to hit the ground running in dealing with the challenges facing employers.
CCI Chief Executive James Pearson said the new treasurer needed to deliver on meaningful tax reform and address infrastructure bottlenecks across the state.
Mr Pearson also called on Mr Buswell to ensure there was enough affordable housing help to ease the state's skills shortage.
See list of changes below:
Honourable Colin Barnett MLA
Premier; Minister for State Development
Honourable Dr Kim Hames MLA
Deputy Premier; Minister for Health; Tourism
Honourable Norman Moore MLC
Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Fisheries; Electoral Affairs
Honourable Brendon Grylls MLA
Minister for Regional Development; Lands; Minister Assisting the Minister for State Development
Honourable Christian Porter MLA
Treasurer; Attorney General
Honourable Dr Elizabeth Constable MLA
Minister for Education
Honourable Simon O'Brien MLC
Minister for Finance; Commerce; Small Business
Honourable Rob Johnson MLA
Minister for Police; Emergency Services; Road Safety
Honourable Terry Waldron MLA
Minister for Sport and Recreation; Racing and Gaming
Honourable John Day MLA
Minister for Planning; Culture and the Arts; Science and Innovation
Honourable Peter Collier MLC
Minister for Energy; Training and Workforce Development; Indigenous Affairs
Honourable Troy Buswell MLA
Minister for Transport; Housing
Honourable Robyn McSweeney MLC
Minister for Child Protection; Community Services; Seniors and Volunteering;
Women's Interests; Youth
Honourable John Castrilli MLA
Minister for Local Government; Heritage; Citizenship and Multicultural Interests
Honourable Terry Redman MLA
Minister for Agriculture and Food; Forestry; Corrective Services
Honourable Bill Marmion MLA
Minister for Environment; Water
Honourable Helen Morton MLC
Minister for Mental Health; Disability Services
Murray John Cowper MLA
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Energy; Training and Workforce Development; Indigenous Affairs (with respect to Training and Workforce Development and Indigenous Affairs only)
Honourable Wendy Maxine Duncan MLC
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Regional Development; Lands;
Minister Assisting the Minister for State Development (with respect to Regional Development; Lands only)
Honourable Donna Evelyn Mary Faragher MLC
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier; Minister for State Development (with respect to the Premier only)
Liza Mary Harvey MLA
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance; Commerce; Small Business (with respect to Small Business only)
Honourable Michael Mischin MLC
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer; Attorney General (with respect to Attorney General only)
Anthony James Simpson MLA
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Child Protection; Community Services; Seniors and Volunteering; Women's Interests; Youth (with respect to Youth only)
