Health split in major Cook cabinet shake-up

Responsibility for health in WA will be scattered across four portfolios with former Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson exiting that area completely to take on the task of building up the state’s manufacturing industry.

Under a huge shakeup and rebranding of WA’s portfolios, four new ministers will take on health responsibilities with newcomer Meredith Hammat taking on the operational aspects of WA Health plus mental health; John Carey taking over the infrastructure program; Simone McGurk taking on seniors and aged care aspects and Sabine Winton responsible for preventative health.

The new WA Labor caucus meeting on Monday. Credit: Keane Bourke/ABC Perth

Sanderson will take on the energy and TAFE portfolios as well as the new portfolios of decarbonisation and manufacturing.

The major shakeup of the portfolios reflects Cook’s push to build a green industry manufacturing base in WA under his election promise ‘Made in WA’ plan, which he will oversee in his state development and economic diversification portfolios.

Sanderson was widely tipped to lose health for an economic portfolio.

Cook said he actually approached Sanderson to ask her about the role.

“I actually approached her and said that I wanted her to have a key economic role inside the government team,” he said.

“I think she had done a great job in health, and you can’t do health forever, it is a tough portfolio.”

He said Sanderson’s new responsibilities would see her placed in charge of the state’s shutdown of the coal-fired power industry by the end of the decade and ensuring there is enough renewable energy to pick up the slack.

Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson.Credit: Hamish Hastie

Cook defended placing former Unions WA boss and health parliamentary secretary Meredith Hammat into the complex health portfolio as a first-time minister.

“She’s been a great parliamentary secretary, and I think she has the energy, the intellectual clout and the discipline to take on those challenges,” he said.

Cook said with Carey in charge of health infrastructure as well as Winton and McGurk taking on health responsibilities there would be a “whole set of eyeballs” working on health.

Australian Medical Association WA president Dr Michael Page said splitting the portfolio into four did risk diluting responsibility for an important part of government but that ultimately it was the premier who would be held accountable if things didn’t improve over the next few years.

He was optimistic that health infrastructure had been spun out into its own portfolio.

“I’d be optimistic that the refreshed government is going to take building health infrastructure and building public hospital capacity seriously,” he said.

Papalia loses police

Under the reshuffle the architect of WA’s tough gun law crackdown Paul Papalia has lost his police responsibilities and will instead take on emergency services from Stephen Dawson who is now saddled with regional development.

Police will now be under the purview of Reece Whitby who has also taken on Road Safety and Tourism and lost Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

Police Minister Paul Papalia.Credit: Trevor Collens

Cook denied this was a demotion for Papalia but rather so he could focus more time on his Defence Industries portfolio with the advent of AUKUS.

“The reaction from Paul Papalia was the same as reaction as every minister is, ‘Thank you, Premier, I look forward to serving the West Australian government’,” he said.

“Paul has had a really big workload over the last few years. I think it’s an opportunity now to place more focus on the defence industry part of his portfolio. I want to see that really come to life.”

Regional focus

Cook’s new cabinet will also see new portfolios created for each of WA’s regional areas.

“Their primary responsibility is to ensure that our regional communities have access to local job opportunities as well as the services and infrastructure that they need,” he said.

Cook denied these portfolios were created after the party’s poor showing in first preference votes in regional seats, saying he had planned to do that before the vote.

Cook also flagged there would be some “organisational changes” to the government to be announced in the coming weeks, but it would not be reversing amalgamations of departments that occurred after Labor was swept to power in 2017.

Liberal leader Libby Mettam said the reshuffle was about rewarding union mates.

“After running a campaign on experience, Roger Cook has appointed a Health Minister with no experience to clean up a portfolio which has lurched from crisis to crisis under two other ministers,” she said.

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