Ros Bates dumped from Health portfolio in major shake-up of new LNP frontbench
New Premier David Crisafulli has unveiled his first LNP frontbench but despite a promise to keep the main players intact, there has been a major shake-up.
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The LNP’s first frontbench in nearly a decade has involved a major shake-up despite Premier David Crisafulli’s promise to keep the main players intact.
It can be revealed Queensland’s health minister will be Tim Nicholls, with Ros Bates made Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training.
Deb Frecklington, a former lawyer, will take over as Attorney-General.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie will also serve as Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, and Industrial Relations
Dan Purdie will become the Police Minister, in one of the few LNP MPs to keep their shadow portfolio.
“Queenslanders have entrusted us to deliver a fresh start for Queensland, ending the crises in youth crime, health, housing, and cost of living, and that’s what we’ll do with Minister starting work today,” Mr Crisafulli said.
The Courier-Mail first revealed in July concerns within the LNP about Ms Bates’s ability to transition to become health minister.
It prompted a strong rebuttal from Mr Crisafulli, who insisted she would have control of the Queensland Health behemoth.
She will be replaced in the portfolio by Mr Nicholls.
“Tim will take over from Ros Bates who, having requested a new challenge after the relentless prosecution of health for two terms, has been promoted into the ministry of Finance, Trade, Employment and Training where she will help lead the charge on securing opportunities for investment and jobs,” Mr Crisafulli said.
The Transport and Main Roads portfolio will be handled by Brent Mickelberg.
A notable omission is Dr Christian Rowan, who will serve as Leader of the House but take on no ministerial portfolios. Dr Rowan had been the LNP’s education spokesman.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games will again be the responsibility of a cabinet minister after it was axed by Steven Miles in December.
Amid criticism of Annastacia Palaszczuk for her focus on the 2032 event, Mr Miles dumped her three Olympic-related portfolios from cabinet when he took the top job.
Now, Mr Crisafulli has added the responsibility for the Games to Mr Mander’s remit of sport and racing.
As Mr Crisafulli had promised in front of a hall full of councillors during the election campaign, Warrego MP Ann Leahy will be the Minister for Local Government.
But that will not be her sole role, with the long-serving MP to also take on the portfolios of Water, Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers.
Queensland’s longest serving MP Fiona Simpson, who has been in parliament since 1992, will take on her ever ministerial portfolio as the Minister for Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism.
Andrew Powell, one of the seven LNP MPs of the existing party room with ministerial experience, will take on his previous Newman-era portfolios of Environment and Heritage protection.
The government’s youngest minister Sam O’Connor will take on Housing, Public Works and Youth.
The former Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon was also the youngest in the cabinet.
Fellow Gold Coaster John-Paul Langbroek will become Education Minister and have responsibility for the Arts.
North Queenslanders Dale Last and Amanda Camm will take on Resources and Child Safety respectively.
Tim Mander will be the Sport Minister and in charge of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Steve Minnikin trades his shadow portfolio of Transport for Customers Services and Open Data.
Originally published as Ros Bates dumped from Health portfolio in major shake-up of new LNP frontbench
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