SA Opposition leader Steven Marshall shakes up shadow cabinet
LONG-serving Liberals Steven Griffiths and Duncan McFetridge have been dumped from the Opposition’s shadow cabinet in a long-awaited reshuffle.
LONG-serving Liberals Steven Griffiths and Duncan McFetridge have been dumped from the Opposition’s shadow cabinet in a long-awaited reshuffle.
Rising stars Stephan Knoll and David Speirs have ascended to the front bench as Opposition Leader Steven Marshall looks to youth.
Mr Knoll will become the Opposition’s police spokesman, while Mr Speirs will go head to head with Environment and Water Minister Ian Hunter.
Mr Marshall said the two newcomers would bring “enthusiasm and new ideas” to the Opposition’s front bench, but paid tribute to the outgoing veterans.
“I would like to thank Duncan and Steven for their work as part of the shadow cabinet and am sure they will continue to make high quality contributions to the Liberal Team and their electorates,” he said.
Mr Griffiths has been part of the Opposition’s front bench since 2007, and was deputy leader for nine months under former leader Isobel Redmond.
Mr McFetridge, elected in 2002, has been on the front bench since 2004 as spokesman for a plethora of portfolios.
Michelle Lensink will move from Environment to Human Services as the Opposition narrows Rachel Sanderson’s focus to purely that of Child Protection, while Dan van Holst Pelekaan has relinquished Police to Mr Knoll as he becomes Energy and Mining spokesman.
Mr Marshall said the Opposition would focus on economic growth and efficient delivery of key services as he sharpens his focus ahead of the 2018 election.
“Today I am announcing the structure and composition of the government I want to lead. A Liberal government will be geared to meet the greatest single challenge South Australia
faces — to reverse the decline in our economy and rebuild belief and confidence in our state,” he said.
“The Shadow Cabinet I will lead until the election will mirror the structure of a Liberal
Government as we continue during 2017 to announce the plans, policies and programs we
want to implement after the March 2018 election.”