Regions, economy key to McGowan plan

NEW state opposition leader Mark McGowan has injected new blood into a revamped shadow cabinet, vowing to take the fight up to the Barnett government over the rising cost of living and the economy.

Mr McGowan has also staked economic reform and regional growth in Western Australia as key battlegrounds in the lead-up to the state election, due by March next year.

Mr McGowan, who took over the Labor leadership from Eric Ripper last month, has reshuffled his line-up, with two new faces joining the frontbench and several former ministers returning to prominent roles.

He has picked treasury spokesman and former leadership aspirant Ben Wyatt for a newly created cost of living portfolio to tackle the government over rising utility costs.

“I want to improve the lives of West Australians, and the best way to make those improvements is through reform,” Mr McGowan said. 

“We won’t be a party that stands still.

“Ben Wyatt will ensure that WA Labor gives the issue the attention it deserves and, together with the treasury portfolio, will be able to take up the issue after four long years of Barnett government price rises.”

The opposition leader said economic reform and regional development would both factor strongly in the party’s business argument as he sought to promote Labor as a viable alternative to the government.

Mr McGowan will take on the regional development portfolio, seeing it as an important role for the leader. The conservative government’s royalties for regions scheme is seen as a major political problem for Labor.

“WA Labor believes regions must be elevated to the leader’s portfolio due to their importance in driving the WA economy and I would retain that portfolio should I become premier,” he said.

Former state development minister Kate Doust has been handed the science, innovation and technology, commerce and small business and trade portfolios.  

“Trade, small business and science are all essential in the modern economy and Kate will be an excellent advocate for each,” Mr McGowan said.

Labor hopes Ms Doust will help to recharge its investment and trade policies, which have been overshadowed by the success of the government in securing large-scale resources projects in recent years.  

Former education minister Ljiljanna Ravlich takes on training and workforce development as part of Labor’s attack on the government amid the growing row over WA companies missing out on contracts from some of the state’s big resources projects.

Fran Logan holds on to industrial relations as Mr McGowan seeks to find a compromise agreement on Sunday trading legislation with the government.

Mr McGowan singled out a shift of Labor policy towards supporting Sunday trading, with a choice mechanism for retail workers who do not wish to work, as the centrepiece of his reformist agenda during his bid for the party leadership.

Mr Logan is a former trade union official with the Australian Manufacturers and Workers Union and previously served as minister for energy and resources in the Carpenter government, which was defeated in 2008.

Former WA Labor state secretary Bill Johnston comes into shadow cabinet as energy and state development spokesman. He has served as deputy chair of the economic and industry standing committee since 2008. 

Another new face, Peter Tinley, becomes spokesman for planning, housing and local jobs.

Mr Tinley, who was elected to former premier Alan Carpenter’s seat of Willagee in 2009, had been touted as a possible challenger to Mr McGowan for the leadership.

“Both Peter and Bill have been handed senior economic portfolios and I’m sure they’ll both do excellent jobs in delivery of Labor’s policies in these areas,” Mr McGowan said.

Ken Travers will continue to serve as spokesman for transport and finance and Jon Ford remains responsible for mines and petroleum.