Federal member for Perth Patrick Gorman has remained tight-lipped on a potential promotion in Sunday’s cabinet reshuffle, triggered by the resignation of two veteran Labor minister.
Federal member for Perth Patrick Gorman has remained tight-lipped on a potential promotion in Sunday’s cabinet reshuffle, triggered by the resignation of two veteran Labor minister.
The reshuffle has been triggered by Thursday’s resignation of Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor.
The pair confirmed they would retire at the end of their current terms and step down from their ministries immediately.
Speaking to ABC Radio Perth this morning, Mr Gorman said the decision rested with caucus.
“Ultimately, Cabinet positions are something that’s decided by the Prime Minister,” he said.
“As your listeners know, I love being the Member for Perth.
“I love my job as Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, and that’s probably all I’ll say about it.”
Asked whether he thinks it’s time WA had a second representative join cabinet – joining Resources Minister Madeleine King, Mr Gorman said “representation can come in many forms”.
“Every day that I’ve been in parliament, I’ve stood up for Western Australia. I did that when I was on the backbench, I do that now in my role as Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Madeleine does that for us in Cabinet,” he said.
“And of course, I expect that all of my colleagues, whether they’re based in Western Australia, or not, I expect all of my colleagues have a really deep understanding of the communities and industries that make up Western Australia.”
If a promotion is given to Mr Gorman, it would take the number of WA politicians with ministerial portfolios to four, adding to Anne Aly's Minister for youth, Matt Keogh's Minister for Veteran Affairs and Madeleine King's Minister for Resources roles.
Ms Burney was first elected to her seat of Barton in New South Wales in 2016, prior to that she became the first Indigenous person elected to the NSW parliament in 2003.
Mr O’Connor was elected to the seat of Bourke in Victoria in 2001 and has held it ever since.
Speaking on her retirement on Thursday, Ms Burney said it was time to hand on the baton.
“Kindness, grace, resilience, integrity are the values that have driven me over the years,” she said.
“I was the first Indigenous person elected to the NSW Parliament. The first Indigenous woman elected to the House of Representatives. And the first Indigenous woman to be appointed a Cabinet Minister.
“But I know that I won’t be the last.”
Mr O’Connor thanked his daughters, who he said had been resilient in the years following the death of his wife in 2018, as he announced his retirement.
"I have been a frontbencher for 23 years and for almost half of that I have been a minister," he said.
"We hear this all the time, but it really is about time that I spent more time at home."
Mr Albanese praised Mr O’Connor’s determination in politics.
“I deeply respect his judgement, I highly value his advice that I have sought not just in his portfolio but across a range of issues over a long period of time,” Mr Albanese said.
“Brendan, of course, went through a great deal of personal tragedy in losing (wife) Jodi in 2018.
“He made a decision along with owner, his lovely daughter, that he wanted to continue to make a contribution to our country.”
