Joyce snubs resources sector

Newly elected National Party leader Barnaby Joyce’s decision to dump resources minister Keith Pitt from the federal cabinet is a short-sighted triumph of regional politics over the national interest. It’s also bad news for Western Australia.

Mr Pitt, who represents the Queensland seat of Hinkle, retains his portfolio but has been demoted to the outer ministry for failing to support Mr Joyce in last week’s successful leadership coup against Michael McCormack.

It means that the resources sector, which has been singlehandedly responsible for Australia’s trade surplus in recent years, will have no direct ministerial representation at the cabinet table.

The move is a slap in the face for the sector, and in particular the iron ore industry driven from the Pilbara – a clear case of out of sight, out of mind.

Mr Pitt has been replaced in cabinet by Victorian Senator Bridget McKenzie, who quit the ministry 18 months ago over the sports rorts affair, and who is a Joyce supporter. She now has responsibility for Regionalisation, Regional Education and Regional Communications.

The politics of this move are clear. Mr Joyce is putting his – and his party’s – interests ahead of the national economic interest. The Nationals draw most support from regional Queensland and New South Wales and, to a lesser extent, Victoria. The party has no federal MPs from WA.

This is unlikely to change at the next election, and the party’s WA leader Mia Davies said last week she was disappointed at Mr Joyce’s return. Three years ago she called on him to resign from the cabinet after revelations of his affair with staffer Vicky Campion.

Mr Pitt’s demotion places responsibility on the four WA Liberals in the cabinet to speak up on behalf of the resource sector’s – and the state’s – interests. They are Senators Michaelia Cash and Linda Reynolds, and Christian Porter and Ken Wyatt. But none has a portfolio directly linked with the resources sector.

The change would also weigh on Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s mind as he prepares to bring the cabinet to Perth next month on a flag waving exercise, following the humiliating Liberal wipe out at the state election in March.