Mihailuk hits out after being dumped from shadow cabinet; Dib moved to new portfolios
Bankstown MP Tania Mihailuk, axed from the NSW Labor shadow cabinet, has accused new leader Jodi McKay of punishing her for supporting the losing candidate Chris Minns.
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Respected Lakemba MP Jihad Dib is ready to give his new shadow ministries his best shots despite disappointment at losing the education portfolio.
Dumped Bankstown colleague Tania Mihailuk, on the other hand, hit out at new NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay.
Another local Labor MP Sophie Cotsis — the Member for Canterbury — has been given the new shadow portfolio of better public services.
Ms Mihailuk slammed Ms McKay for dumping her from senior shadow minister roles including family and community services, planning and housing, saying it was because they supported the other candidate for the Labor leadership, Chris Minns.
“I am disappointed to lose the opportunity to contribute on the front line of NSW Labor politics, in the fight against the NSW Liberal-National Coalition Government,” Ms Mihailuk said.
“Recently, the NSW Labor Party held a historical leadership ballot and I made the democratic decision to support the candidate who has lost.
“I make it clear that I was prepared to work with the new parliamentary leader, however, the new leader is well within her rights to select a shadow cabinet that is of her choosing.”
During a press conference, Ms McKay did not reply directly when asked about Ms Mihailuk’s comments, but said she had left “a number of messages for her”. Ms McKay later told the ABC that the shadow ministry was selected on merit.
Mr Dib, a former principal at Punchbowl Boys High School, said he “was very sad” when he lost the education shadow ministry, but added he was grateful he could still bring his skills to the four new roles: TAFE and Skills, Youth, Juvenile Justice and assistant shadow minister for Multiculturalism.
“I am disappointed at not being the education spokesman because of my passion and experience in education,” Mr Dib told The Express.
“However, I am grateful and excited I can help kids and prevent people from falling into a life of crime and incarceration.
“I still know I have the skills to make a difference in my new roles, it will still be good.
“Who knows, this could be a blessing in disguise and the most important thing is that I am the representative for the people of Lakemba who re-elected me with the second biggest margin in the party.
“In the long term I know I can make a difference and have never taken anyone or anything for granted.
“I am overwhelmed by the messages of support on social media.
“Don’t feel sorry for me, I still got a job.”
Ms Cotsis, a cancer patient, said she was delighted to be a part of the shadow cabinet.
“I am excited Jodi McKay has appointed me to be the Shadow Minister for Better Public Services,” she said.
“My focus will be improving public services for people throughout NSW.
“My first priority will be fighting Gladys Berejiklian’s plan to sack 2500 public sector workers.
“The Berejiklian Government’s job cuts will make it harder for people to access essential services.
“It is an honour to be part of Jodi’s team.
“I look forward to working with all my Labor colleagues to hold the government to account, and to develop new policies which will provide a better future for NSW.
Ms Mihailuk, who was close to former Labor leader Michael Daley, said she “had the great privilege of serving as Shadow Minister for Volunteering and Youth, Healthy Lifestyles, Fair Trading, Social Housing, Mental Health, and Medical Research, Family and Community Services, Housing, and Planning,” over the years.
“I am proud of the achievements I made as part of the shadow cabinet.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to have met and consulted with hundreds of stakeholders, and advocated and fought for countless community groups.
“I thank all those who have taken the time to share their views and contribute to the political process.
“I will continue representing my community as the Member for Bankstown and intend to stand again at the next election.
“I am proud to represent such a diverse community, and I am proud of my heritage and my faith.
“My grandparents lived in China for over 40 years, having migrated from Russia.
“My father left China in 1949 and spent 10 years travelling the world, living mostly on cargo ships, and was stateless when he arrived in Australia in 1959.
“I learnt English at school as a child and often spent my youth translating for my mother and grandmother.
“My children now learn Russian at Saturday school in Cabramatta and we attend Russian Orthodox Church at Strathfield most Sundays.
“I am honoured to represent a community as rich in culture and diversity as Bankstown, but our community has been consistently short-changed by the Liberal-National Government, enduring cuts to our public transport system, suffering extended wait-times at local hospitals with ageing and dilapidated facilities.
“We all have our challenges; my parents struggled to raise a severely disabled son who I became the legal guardian of in 2009. Being my brother’s advocate has made me acutely aware of the challenges that people living with a disability face and increasingly so under a Liberal-National Government.
“I will remain a member of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Parliamentary Oversight Committee.”
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