Incoming treasurer Ben Wyatt will also take on the energy and finance portfolios. Photo: Attila Csaszar

Wyatt gets energy plus treasury

Thursday, 16 March, 2017 - 13:50

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Premier-elect Mark McGowan has given added responsibilities to incoming treasurer Ben Wyatt, while Rita Saffioti, Paul Papalia, Peter Tinley and Alannah MacTiernan have been given key economic portfolios.

The new Labor ministry, to be formally sworn in tomorrow, was described by Mr McGowan as brimming with talent.

“A good array of people, from the regions, from the city, men and women, people from all sorts of backgrounds,” Mr McGowan told journalists.

Mr McGowan fended off questions about the large number for former unionists in cabinet, with 10 of the 17 cabinet members having a union affiliation.

“You will find there’s a large mix of people, I mean there are four former military officers in the cabinet,” he said.

“People make all sorts of suggestions about where people have come from, but I think it’s a broad, diverse array of backgrounds and a great group of people.”

Mr McGowan has given himself the state development and jobs and trade portfolios, describing himself as a workaholic who would enjoy the workload.

Mr Wyatt will also have a big workload, with energy and finance added to his treasury portfolio, with Mr McGowan saying the portfolios had synergies.

“Treasury, currently, is with energy and I thought that was a sensible arrangement,” he said.

Ms Saffioto has retained the key transport and planning portfolios, which will cover the Metronet rail project and includes responsibility for ports.

Mr Tinley has been given mines and petroleum while Mr Papalia has tourism, racing and gaming, small business and defence issues, which Mr McGowan said collectively constituted an important economic portfolio.

“Racing and gaming naturally goes with tourism in my view,” Mr McGowan said.

“Tourism also a lot of small businesses in it, so I though putting small business there would be great.”

Bill Johnston, who was previously shadow minister for state development, energy, mines and petroleum, and ports, has been given a new portfolio of Asian Engagement, along with housing, commerce and industrial relations.

Alannah MacTiernan will be minister for regional development, which means she will have a lead role in reviewing the Royalties for Regions program.

She will also be minister for agriculture and assist Mr McGowan on state development.

Dave Kelly will be minister for innovation and ICT, and science, along with water, fisheries and forestry, while Stephen Dawson will be environment minister.

Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia chief executive Reg Howard-Smith said he was pleased to see such a balanced cabinet.

“CME is pleased the Labor government will not implement the iron ore mining tax as proposed by the WA Nationals and looks forward to working together on key policy issues affecting the sector,” he said.

The Association of Mineral and Exploration Companies outlined what it believes are the top priorities for Mr Tinley.

“The minister must urgently repeal Mining Regulation 28A, a discriminatory regulation that provides the State with a mechanism to charge a ‘rental’ of 25 cents per tonne of iron ore obtained from a mining lease after 15 years of operation,” chief executive Simon Bennison said.

“The minister must reinvigorate the reform of environmental regulation and clarify WA Labor’s policy approach to approved uranium projects in WA to provide certainty to the sector’s investors.”

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia said it would engage the newly-elected ministers on key issues such as infrastructure planning, local content and further empowering the state’s defence industry.

The McGowan Labor government ministry

Mark McGowan

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

Roger Cook

Deputy Premier; Minister for Health; Mental Health

Sue Ellery

Education and Training; Leader of the Legislative Council

Stephen Dawson

Environment; Disability Services; Deputy Leader of the Legislative Council

Michelle Roberts

Police; Road Safety

Alannah MacTiernan