James O’Doherty: New Labor ministers need to lift their game

Question Times have been quiet for new Premier Chris Minns — the Opposition has been targeting ministers to expose the weakest links in an inexperienced frontbench, writes James O’Doherty.

Dominic Perrottet has, perhaps, one of the best seats in the new parliament.

Dumped from office at the election and now on the backbench, Perrottet has managed to secure a spot right next to the door. When MPs gather for question time, he can be the last to arrive and the first to leave.

Amid much speculation about what the former Premier will do next, Perrottet is hardly hiding that his mind is elsewhere.

On Thursday, he spent question time buried in a book — The Reagan Diaries. The tome, a collection of President Reagan’s daily insights throughout time in office, is sure to be more interesting than the daily grind of NSW politics.

If Premier Chris Minns is keeping his own daily diary after taking Perrottet’s job, his reflections on the first two weeks would probably be tinged with frustration; the Coalition is all but refusing to ask him any questions.

Instead, the new Opposition has been picking on individual ministers in an attempt to expose those who may be the weakest links in an inexperienced frontbench.

Unfortunately for Minns, one of his mates in parliament has emerged as an early poor performer.

Sports Minister Steve Kamper has had a couple of stumbles. Picture NCA Newswire/Gaye Gerard

The Coalition already has it out for Sports Minister Steve Kamper over a popular cost of living measure Minns is set to scrap.

So far, Kamper has had little success in defending the government’s position on $100 Active Kids vouchers, which are expected to run out at the end of next month.

Many parents have come to rely on the vouchers to pay for their kids’ sporting activities amid a worsening cost of living crisis.

“That’s not my job to do that,” Kamper said on Wednesday, when asked how many vouchers could be paid for with the rumoured $16 million the government is paying to secure three major UFC fights.

Admittedly, this problem is not entirely of Kamper’s own making.

Asked before the election if he would continue the Active Kids vouchers, Minns declared he was “looking to roll them over”. Now he is tilling the ground for them to be scrapped.

But Kamper also managed this week to dump the state’s cemeteries boss before actually telling her she would not be reappointed. That’s the kind of own goal that governments can only afford in their early honeymoon phase.

To be fair, the Sports Minister has secured some early wins, like moving to lift an absurd yearly cap on the number of concerts in the Sydney Football Stadium precinct.

But Minns will be hoping his mate’s parliamentary performance improves.

Premier Chris Minns is a polished performer. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short

Customer Service Minister Jihad Dibb has also taken some time finding his feet.

The senior frontbencher represents Energy Minister Penny Sharpe in parliament’s lower house, but has struggled with questions about Labor’s plan for energy bill rebates.

The tragic police Tasering of 95-year-old Clare Nowland also left Police Minister Yasmin Catley exposed, after she failed to make any comments on the matter for almost a week. When she did, her response was found wanting.

This early on, some teething problems are to be expected. With the exception of Michael Daley, the frontbench are all first-time ministers.

But Minns will start facing problems if his talent pool is found to be too shallow.

Privately, even some Labor true believers admit that after the Premier, there is not much strength in the ministerial batting order.

Minns will no-doubt be hoping things get easier when the government finally manages to fill gaping holes in its staffing ranks.

Months in and most of the offices are still yet to have full staffing allocations.

Government sources insist that with Labor in power across the mainland, there is simply a shortage of any party faithful looking for work.

Cynics, however, would say that failing to attract staff is a reflection on the administration.

Former Premier Perrottet found out the hard way that it is impossible to run parliament as a one-man band.

Minns, a polished performer, made a point of surrounding himself with his senior leadership team during the election campaign.

The Premier has faced his own learning curve since taking office. It’s now time for his team to step up.