Jay Weatherill reshuffles Labor Cabinet six months before election, appoints Peter Malinauskas as Health Minister

IT’S the new line-up Premier Jay Weatherill has entrusted to deliver him another election win — with new Health Minister Peter Malinauskas promising a “fresh set of eyes” on the troubled portfolio. POLL, YOUR SAY

Health Minister Peter Malinauskas speaks after the swearing in of the new Cabinet ministers Katrine Hildyard and Chris Picton. Premier Jay Weatherill watches on. Kelly Barnes/The Australian

• DANIEL WILLS ANALYSIS: Shot in the arm to kick-start ALP’s heart
• NEW LINE-UP: SA’s Cabinet reshuffled announced
• GONE: Why Jack Snelling is quitting politics
• ALSO GONE: Leesa Vlahos quits Cabinet but will stay in Parliament
• VICTIMS: Oakden families ‘let down’ by Vlahos exit

NEW Health Minister Peter Malinauskas has promised a “fresh set of eyes” on the troubled portfolio as Labor on Monday delivered a major Cabinet shake-up just six months out from the state election.

Premier Jay Weatherill has elevated Mr Malinauskas, widely touted as a future Labor leader, to one of Cabinet’s biggest portfolios in a reshuffle that also adds two new faces to the Cabinet.

The rising star rejected suggestions he had been handed a poisoned chalice, saying he relished the challenge of a new role that gave him the chance to help people in their times of need.

Southern suburbs MP Chris Picton takes Mr Malinauskas’ previous roles of police, emergency services, corrections and road safety.

A former chief of staff to federal and state Labor health ministers, Mr Picton also has official roles assisting Mr Malinauskas in running South Australia’s hospitals.

Former union official Katrine Hildyard gains the disability portfolio, and will assist in sport.

A whirlwind 24 hours for the Government began with Advertiser.com.au breaking news of former health minister Jack Snelling’s impending retirement, which was followed overnight by the revelation that former mental health minister Leesa Vlahos would follow his lead. Premier Jay Weatherill said he had a “fresh new team” to take to the election.

“We think that the team that we have assembled here in SA, when it’s compared to with what’s on offer on the other side of the aisle, is superior,” he said. “This is an important time in the history of our state. We have the skills, the energy and the drive to meet the challenges.”

Backbenchers Annabel Digance and Nat Cook have become assistant ministers. Small Business Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith adds space and health industries to his existing duties.

Mr Weatherill rejected suggestions that the exit of two ministers closely linked to the Oakden scandal was related to the ongoing Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry.

Jay Weatherill announces his new Cabinet ministers after they were sworn in at Government House. Picture: AAP

However, polling has shown that the Government has been taking a battering in the health portfolio since major reforms were launched in 2014. Mr Weatherill used the State Budget in June to dump the Transforming Health brand, and announced $1 billion in new hospital spending aimed at cauterising political wounds and winning back support for the Government in key seats.

Speaking to The Advertiser after the swearing in at Government House on Monday, Mr Malinauskas said he would “look at every issue that is brought to my attention” and insisted the complex politics of health would take care of themselves as long as the policies were right.

“I’m committed to look at every issue that is brought to my attention,” he said. “It’s a huge sector (with) a huge number of stakeholders and a lot of South Australians that are directly affected.

SA Government's new Cabinet line-up

“It’s important, with a responsibility as big as this one, that we don’t look at everything through a political frame, but rather through a policy one. If we do the policy right, and South Australians believe this Government is committed to improving services, the politics will look after itself.”

Mr Weatherill has taken the arts portfolio, formerly held by Mr Snelling, and hinted at a possible announcement soon over the proposed new contemporary art gallery for the old RAH site. Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis becomes Labor’s official chief strategist in State Parliament, taking over from Mr Snelling as the manager of government business when sitting resumes next week.

Mr Picton said he would give the job “a red-hot go” and be a strong voice in Cabinet for the state’s frontline forces, including volunteers. Ms Hildyard said she was deeply passionate about ensuring people with a disability, and their carers, were fully included in the community.

Mr Weatherill said he considered using the resignations to shrink the number of Cabinet members from 14, but decided against the move given the challenges SA currently faces.

Ms Vlahos did not attend a Labor Caucus meeting on Monday to appoint replacement ministers. Labor whip Tom Kenyon said she was unwell and recuperating with relatives.

The reshuffle also combines the health and mental health portfolios under Mr Malinauskas’ control after the two jobs were previously split between Mr Snelling and Ms Vlahos.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said the reshuffle was “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic” and “nothing is going to change with this dysfunctional, tired, 15-year-old line-up”.

He said Mr Malinauskas had a “massive amount of work to do to clean up” the health system “mess” and his first decision should be delaying the Repat Hospital closure.

“Peter Malinauskas is not going to do any better job than Jack Snelling,” Mr Marshall said.

He said Mr Malinauskas had overseen “attempted escapes, actual escapes, a death in custody and massive overcrowding” during his time in charge of the prisons and police portfolios.

Mr Marshall also questioned the timing of the resignations of Mr Snelling and Ms Vlahos. The ICAC said it could not update the public on a release date for the Oakden report.

And the winners are ...

PETER MALINAUSKAS: The man widely tipped to be a future Labor leader continues his meteoric rise, taking responsibility for the Health portfolio vacated by Jack Snelling, as well as adding Leesa Vlahos’ Mental Health responsibilities. It’s a big challenge for the charismatic former union leader given the troublesome nature of the portfolios. He’ll have to navigate teething problems at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, as well as Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander’s inquiry into possible Government maladministration at the Oakden nursing home.

CHRIS PICTON: Replaces Mr Malinauskas as Police and Corrections Minister — big responsibilities for a new addition to the Cabinet. He will also assist Mr Malinauskas in his new portfolio, a logical move given he’s been chief of staff for federal and state health ministers.

MARTIN HAMILTON-SMITH: He’s demanded national action in setting up an Australian space industry, and now the former Liberal leader will add Space Industries to his portfolios. Also picks up Health Industries.

KATRINE HILDYARD: The former Australian Services Union state secretary takes on the Disabilities portfolio, which will have extra importance given the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

NAT COOK: The former nurse has received a pay bump and will assist Stephen Mullighan in his Housing and Urban Development portfolios.

ANNABEL DIGANCE: The Elder MP has been appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier as she faces an almighty battle to retain her seat at next March’s election.

Bedford decision to come

FORMER Labor MP Frances Bedford is expected to clarify her political future on Tuesday, following the resignation of the man who intended to take her seat at the next election.

Ms Bedford quit the party after a bitter preselection battle with former Health Minister Jack Snelling, who announced on Sunday he would not recontest in 2018.

As Labor considers a new candidate just six months from polling day, Ms Bedford said on Monday: “If I’m running, I’m running as an independent”.

Premier Jay Weatherill said he had spoken to Ms Bedford since the resignation but would not elaborate.

Ms Bedford, who returned from an overseas trip on Sunday night, has flagged that she will release a statement on Tuesday.

Jack took bad advice, says chemo victim

JACK Snelling was a good man who took bad advice to try to hide the underdosing of 10 seriously ill leukaemia patients during chemotherapy, says Andrew Knox, the man who headed the fight for the victims’ rights.

Mr Knox, who is recovering but still seriously ill with complications from a stem-cell transplant in Melbourne, was commenting on Mr Snelling’s admission that covering up the chemotherapy underdose — a story The Advertiser broke — was the biggest regret of his 20-year political career.

“I think the decision to not proactively go out on that particular issue, certainly I think it was a mistake,” Mr Snelling told the ABC.

Mr Knox said Mr Snelling had been “a political animal” over the bungle that devastated the 10 patients, four of whom have since died and whose deaths are the subject of a coronial inquiry that begins hearing expert medical evidence tomorrow.

“I think he was being led by his political advisers,” Mr Knox said. He was also disappointed to only have met Mr Snelling once, and then for only a few minutes.

“I think as a human and an individual, he was a nice fellow, but as a manager he was sadly lacking,” Mr Knox said.

After five months in Melbourne, Mr Knox hopes to return soon to Adelaide for rehabilitation. The inquiry by Deputy State Coroner Tony Schapel will sit in November.

— Penelope Debelle