Mark McGowan says the changes will help build on the state’s performance. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira

McGowan reshuffles cabinet

Thursday, 13 December, 2018 - 10:20

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Premier Mark McGowan has reallocated six portfolios within his cabinet, including the energy portfolio being transferred from Treasurer Ben Wyatt to Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston.

To accommodate this change, three of Mr Johnston’s current portfolios - commerce, electoral affairs and Asian engagement – will be distributed to other ministers.

Mr Johnston spent five years at the Shadow Energy Minister.

Commerce will now be the responsibility of Attorney General John Quigley, Environment Minister Stephen Dawson will be responsible for electoral affairs, and Asian engagement will be handed to Housing Minister Peter Tinley.

Mr McGowan said Transport Minister Rita Saffioti’s portfolio responsibility would be reduced, allowing her to focus on delivering Metronet and implementing planning reform across the state.

Lands will become the responsibility of Mr Wyatt, and Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan will take on the ports portfolio.

“It’s always important that we reflect on our workloads in the cabinet and continue to focus on delivering our election agenda,” Mr McGowan said.

“These minor changes within my cabinet will help build on the state’s strong performance over the last 20 months and continues our stable approach to government."

Opposition leader Mike Nahan said the ministerial reshuffle highlighted the influence of the union movement.

“The number of bungles, backflips and broken promises by Minister Ellery were sufficient to warrant a different minister be handed responsibility for education,” Dr Nahan said.

“It is more than ironic that the Premier has announced the reshuffle on the anniversary of Minister Ellery’s biggest bungle in education, when she announced a series of cuts to various education programs, only to commence a cycle of backflips in the months following.

“Likewise, we have the prison system lurching from crisis to crisis, and the hapless minister who has a record of failure in other portfolios, is failing to accept any responsibility, failing to show any leadership and simply outsourcing blame.

“That Minister Logan continues to hold the corrective services portfolio is a reflection on the premier’s lack of control of his own government and the excessive influence of the union movement.”

Dr Nahan said the influence of unions was also reflected in the fact that Mr Wyatt, who has no union backing, was stripped of the energy portfolio because he made decisions that upset what he called Labor’s union masters.

Nationals WA corrective services spokesperson Terry Redman slammed the premier’s decision to retain Fran Logan as corrective services minister.

“Today was the premier’s chance to make a stand and begin to restore the public’s faith in WA’s prison system,” he said.

“Yet minister Logan’s union clout appears to have saved him from the axe yet again.”

McGowan cabinet

Hon Mark McGowan MLA

Premier; Minister for Public Sector Management; State Development, Jobs and Trade; Federal-State Relations

Hon Roger Cook MLA

Deputy Premier; Minister for Health; Mental Health

Hon Sue Ellery MLC

Minister for Education and Training

Hon Stephen Dawson MLC

Minister for Environment; Disability Services; Electoral Affairs