Former education minister Ljiljanna Ravlich was one of the winners from a state government ministerial reshuffle announced today, which also elevated David Templeman and new minister Sue Ellery.
Former education minister Ljiljanna Ravlich was one of the winners from a state government ministerial reshuffle announced today, which also elevated David Templeman and new minister Sue Ellery.
The latest changes were forced on the state government by the resignation of former resources minister John Bowler and former environment minister Tony McRae after damaging revelations were made about their contact with former premier Brian Burke and fellow lobbyist Julian Grill at the Corruption and Crime Commission.
They follow another reshuffle last December, when Ms Ravlich came under fire over a damning corruption probe into her department and the controversial implementation in WA of outcomes-based education.
It was a reshuffle that saw John Bowler demoted from the resources portfolio after he became the victim of what Mr Carpenter then called "smear and innuendo" over his involvement with lobbyist Mr Burke.
Membership of Cabinet was reduced from 17 to 16 after the resignation of Norm Marlborough for the same reasons.
Today the Premier announced he would reduce Cabinet further, to 15 members, to consolidate the leadership team.
A big winner was the parliamentary secretary to the Attorney General and Health Minister Sue Ellery, who has been appointed Minister for Child Protection, Communities, Seniors and Volunteering and Women's Interests.
Ms Ellery, who previously worked as an industrial officer for the Left-aligned Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, was elected unopposed at a special caucus meeting late yesterday.
She takes on the roles from Mandurah MLA David Templeman, who also scored a win from the reshuffle with his appointment to the super-portfolio of Environment and Climate Change. He retains responsibility for Peel.
The third winner is Ms Ravlich, who has added the portfolios of Local Government, Racing and Gaming and Goldfields-Esperance to her existing roles as Minister for Government Enterprises; Multicultural Interests and Citizenship; Youth; and Minister assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure;
Housing and Works Minister Michelle Roberts added Employment Protection to her responsibilities, while responsibility for the Great Southern goes to Agricultural MLC Kim Chance.
Corrective Services Minister Margaret Quirk lost the Women's Interests portfolio.
The new ministers were sworn in this afternoon.
Local Government chief executives told WA Business News they were pleased to see Ms Ravlich be given the portfolio but wanted more stability in the role.
Ms Ravlich holds the local government portfolio for the second time; she was Minister for Local Government under former premier Geoff Gallop's administration, before being appointed to the Education portfolio in 2005.
City of Cockburn chief executive Stephen Cain said the Council would be happy to work with whoever was appointed to the role.
"We are happy about that quick appointment; it is also good because Ms Ravlich has held it before," he said.
City of Canning chief executive Dominic Carbone said the council had always had a good relationship with Ms Ravlich.
"She has been very helpful as a minister and as a person. She has always been able to make decisions and to understand the concerns we brought to her."
City of Perth CEO Frank Edwards hopes that Ms Ravlich will bring more permanency to the position.
"We are looking forward to work with her [Ms Ravlich], but we've had seven local government (ministers) over the past five years and I hope we will have more continuity with Ms Ravlich." Mr Edwards said.
The full text of the Premier's announcement is pasted below:
Premier Alan Carpenter has congratulated South Metropolitan MLC Sue Ellery on her elevation to State Cabinet.
Ms Ellery was elected unopposed at a special caucus meeting late yesterday.
Mr Carpenter said Ms Ellery was a hard-working and experienced MP, whose abilities would be welcomed into Cabinet.
The Premier said Cabinet had been reduced from 16 to 15 to consolidate the leadership team.
He would recommend to the Governor in Executive Council the appointment of Ms Ellery and the following new Ministerial responsibilities:
- Sue Ellery: Minister for Child Protection; Communities; Seniors and Volunteering; Women's Interests.
- David Templeman: Minister for Environment; Climate Change and Peel (Gains: Environment; Climate Change. Loses: Child Protection; Communities; Seniors and Volunteering.)
- Kim Chance: Minister for Agriculture and Food; Forestry; the Mid West and Wheatbelt and Great Southern (Gains: Great Southern.)
- Michelle Roberts: Minister for Housing and Works; Heritage; Indigenous Affairs; Employment Protection; Land Information (Gains: Employment Protection.)
- Ljiljanna Ravlich: Minister for Local Government; Racing and Gaming; Government Enterprises; Multicultural Interests and Citizenship; Youth; Minister assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure; Goldfields-Esperance (Gains: Local Government, Racing and Gaming; Goldfields-Esperance.)
- Sheila McHale: Minister for Tourism; Culture and the Arts; Consumer Protection and Disability Services (Gains: Disability Services.)
- Margaret Quirk: Minister for Corrective Services; Small Business; Minister assisting the Minister for Federal-State Relations (Loses: Women's Interests.)
Mr Carpenter said the Ministers with new portfolios would be sworn in at a special ceremony at Government House later today.
