Queensland Election 2017: Premier to announce Cabinet reshuffle
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk is set to unveil major changes to her Cabinet after officially claiming election victory, with a new treasurer, health minister and speaker tipped.
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ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk is set to unveil a major Cabinet shake-up ahead of her Government’s swearing in on Tuesday after officially claiming election victory yesterday.
Ms Palaszczuk yesterday became the country’s most successful female premier yesterday by securing a second term in office, this time with a majority in the new 93-seat Parliament.
LNP leader Tim Nicholls yesterday phoned the Premier to concede defeat and wish her well before resigning his position ahead of a leadership ballot next week.
It followed 12 days of uncertainty as the Electoral Commission Queensland grappled with the reintroduced compulsory preferential voting system to eventually declare all seats, included the 48 won by Labor, yesterday afternoon.
Ms Palaszczuk would not say if her Cabinet would be expanded from the current 17 but said discussions would continue over the weekend ahead of a caucus meeting on Monday.
But her new team will feature new and returning faces including Stirling Hinchliffe, Di Farmer and Far North Queensland MP Craig Crawford who successfully held his seat at the November 25 poll in the face of a challenge from the LNP and One Nation.
“I have had some preliminary discussions with Ministers and I will continue these discussions in coming days in relation to the make-up of my Cabinet,” Ms Palaszczuk said yesterday, refusing to confirm any movements.
“There will be four senior economic ministers that I am giving due consideration to because it is very important that we get on with the job of creating jobs for Queenslanders.
“I will be continuing discussions with colleagues over the course of the weekend and you will see the results of that next week.”
Jackie Trad remains on track to add the Treasury portfolio to her title, as initially flagged by The Courier-Mail last week, with current Treasurer Curtis Pitt expected to become Speaker.
Cameron Dick will switch from the Health portfolio to one of the Cabinet’s four economic-focused portfolios, likely taking on State Development among other responsibilities.
Mr Hinchliffe is set to return to the Cabinet table less than a year after resigning his post as Transport Minister in February, following Queensland Rail’s train driver bungle.
He is tipped to also take on an economic portfolio, potentially Natural Resources and Mines. He previously held the Mining portfolio under the former Bligh government.
Energy and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey will also see his responsibilities change. He is tipped to become Transport and Main Roads Minister with the two departments once again united under the same minister.
Kate Jones is expected to keep to her Commonwealth Games role, as promised by Ms Palaszczuk, to ensure certainty with the event just months away.
Current Environment Minister Steven Miles is expected to move to a more senior role, potentially taking over Health.
State Development Minister Anthony Lynham is in line for the Agriculture portfolio.
Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath will retain that job but could see her other responsibilities change.
Current Employment Minister Grace Grace could also be promoted in the shake-up while her Old Guard faction colleague Di Farmer will finally get a call up to the Cabinet table this term.
Ms Palaszczuk’s responsibilities are also expected to change with the Premier in line to pick up the coveted Trade portfolio.
Ms Palaszczuk’s own office will also be shaken up as revealed by The Courier-Mail earlier this week, but she is understood to be keen to hold on to key staff, including current deputy chief-of-staff Kirby Anderson.
She yesterday thanked voters for putting their trust in her in handing her a second term and a majority.
“I am extremely humbled for the trust and support that the people of this state have placed in me. I won’t let you down,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk promised she would oversee a stable government focused on working with business and representing all Queenslander from the Torres Strait to the Gold Coast and all cities and towns in between.
She also vowed to ensure her Ministers consulted with the new crossbench of the three Katter MPs Robbie Katter, Shane Knuth and Nick Dametto, Greens MP Michael Berkman, One Nation MP Stephen Andrew and independent Sandra Bolton, in the “best interests of Queensland”.
The LNP will hold 39 seats in the new parliament.
LABOR’S KEY PROMISES
● $155m Back to Work program to run until 2021
● Skilling Queenslanders for Work program boosted by $180m
● Works for Queensland to get $200m
● All new trains to be built in Queensland
● Return $300m in electricity dividends to households in $50 annual savings
● Rebates for energy-efficient appliances
● Power bill price rises pegged to average inflation for two years
● $151.6m million for large-scale renewable generation and solar in schools
● Half of energy from renewables by 2030
● Extend the $20k First Home Buyer’s Grant for newly-built homes to June 2018
● $5.4b for Cross River Rail
● Three new rail stations for Gold Coast
● $206m to upgrade M1 near Tugun
● $1b a year for a Bruce Highway Trust to deliver long-term investment certainty
● Introduce a tree-clearing crackdown to reduce felling rates
● $500m Land Restoration Fund for land and vegetation management activities
● Employ 535 more police officers, including 22 terrorism, security and intelligence specialists
● $16.4m boost for drug and alcohol treatment services
● Revenge porn and sexting images without consent to be criminal offences
● An extra 3500 nurses and midwives
● $679m to upgrade Ipswich, Logan and Caboolture hospitals
●$134m tourism package to improve infrastructure and upgrade Great Barrier Reef resorts and Great Keppel Island
● $2b Brisbane Live entertainment precinct
● Seven new high schools costing $808m
● Refurbish 17 high schools for $235m
● At least 3700 new teachers
Originally published as Queensland Election 2017: Premier to announce Cabinet reshuffle
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