REVEALED: Meet Tasmania’s new state government cabinet, Jo Palmer elevated in latest shuffle
Following the third cabinet reshuffle of the year, Tasmania’s new Premier has pledged to lead a “government with heart” and said he’s ready to bear the brunt of scrutiny. LATEST >>
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PREMIER Jeremy Rockcliff says his government is open to scrutiny, prompting Labor to ask why they are so shy about turning up to answer questions in parliament.
Mr Rockliff’s new ministry was sworn in on Tuesday morning, a third reshuffle for the year which was necessitated by the sudden retirement of Peter Gutwein last week.
Parliament has been suspended until next month to allow a new Liberal MP to be found via a recount in Mr Gutwein’s old seat of Bass.
The new Premier has pledged to lead a “government with heart” and one that was accountable
“Any government quite rightly has to bear the brunt of scrutiny. And we are up for that,” he said.
“We have a very committed ministry made up of very experienced and committed people. “And all our members of course have put up their hand for parliament, and courageously so, to make a difference.
“It’s not easy in this day and age to put up your hand for parliament, goes with it a lot of scrutiny, a lot of criticism, and a big impact on your family.
“And so they are very committed people, we have an experienced team, both of course across the parliament but also in life and I believe that’s important as well, we have a cabinet that has each and every person has had a breadth of life experience.”
Labor leader Rebecca White was flanked by her caucus at a media opportunity on Tuesday, as she sought to emphasise the unity of her team.
“I’m really proud to lead a strong united Labor team who were prepared to work today in a parliament except the Rockcliff-Ferguson government cancelled parliament this week after it only sat for nine days this year,” she said.
“It is because of the government’s chaos and instability that the Tasmanian Parliament isn’t sitting this week and we aren’t making decisions on behalf of our community who elected us to be members of parliament so we could do just that.
“This is a government that’s in chaos and turmoil and not providing the stability that they promised at the last election.”
“We have a situation where you’ve got a leader who’s been the deputy leader of the party for 16 years who brings no new ideas, no energy to the job, and is supported by a group of people that people hardly know.
“They’re a very inexperienced cabinet. A third of the cabinet that people elected last year have quit, including the premier.”
Independent MP Kristie Johnston said Guy Barnett — as the third housing minister — this year needed to act decisively.
“The government has been playing political hot potato with the housing issue during a housing crisis, it’s simply not good enough.
“Mr Barnett as a new housing minister has the perfect opportunity to make his mark and make a real difference in the lives of thousands of Tasmanians who have been sleeping wrought or who are experiencing housing distress at the moment.”
She said putting limits on short-stay accommodation and taking action to get hundreds of vacant homes back into the rental market would be a good start.
REVEALED: Meet Tasmania’s new state government cabinet
LIBERAL Legislative Councillor Jo Palmer has been elevated to the ministry in the latest cabinet reshuffle.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced on Monday the member for Rosevears would become Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Women.
The reshuffle — the government’s third this year — was necessitated by Premier Peter Gutwein’s resignation.
“Jo Palmer is an exceptionally experienced and hardworking representative of the community and will become Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Women. Jo will also remain Deputy leader for the Government in the Legislative Council,” Mr Rockliff said.
“Since becoming a member of the Legislative Council in August 2020, Jo has been a strong and committed member of the Rosevears electorate and is passionate about increasing community pride, local jobs and small business growth.
Ms Palmer said she didn’t join parliament to take a back seat and she was not one to shy away from a challenge.
“I don’t come into this role claiming to be any authority whatsoever,” she said.
“I come into it very, very humbly, I have a lot to learn and I have so much enthusiasm, and I am so buoyed by the fact that I had the support of our Premier, and our Deputy Premier and the rest of cabinet.
“This is a really exciting time for me, and I’m certainly not coming in here as any sort of know at all.
“I intend to close my mouth and open my ears for the next few weeks and months, spend time with stakeholders get my head around this.”
Mr Rockliff said he would retain the portfolios of Health and Mental Health, Tourism and Trade.
Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson will be Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, as well as Minister for Planning.
Labor’s Dean Winter was unimpressed by the reshuffle.
“Almost a decade after the Liberals came to power, no fewer than 19 ministries have been sworn in, with seven of those so far in 2022,” he said.
“The new cabinet announced by Premier Rockliff today highlights the Liberal’s shallow talent pool with various underperforming ministers now loaded up with increased responsibilities and important areas of delivery like housing handballed from one minister to another.
“This is a deeply divided, chaotic government that has been an abject failure in delivering on health and education and infrastructure.
Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff said she was alarmed at the workload some ministers were facing.
“It is a case of every child gets surprise with this cabinet reshuffle, it was distressing to see the number of portfolio responsibilities that ministers have been given,” she said.
“We’ve got ministers with at least six portfolios, several ministers have more than five.
“That’s an enormous workload. And we don’t want to see another premier fall to exhaustion.”
The new cabinet:
Jeremy Rockliff:
Premier
Minister for Health and Mental Health
Minister for Tourism and Trade
Michael Ferguson:
Deputy Premier
Treasurer
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Minister for Planning.
Elise Archer
Attorney-General
Minister for Corrections and Rehabilitation
Minister for Workplace Safety and Consumer Affairs
Minister for Arts
Guy Barnett
Minister for State Development, Construction and Housing.
Minister for Energy and Renewables.
Minister for Resources
Minister for Veteran’s Affairs.
Roger Jaensch
Minister for Education, Children and Youth,
Minister for Skills, Training and Workforce Growth
Minister for Environment and Climate Change.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.
Jo Palmer
Minister for Primary Industries and Water
Minister for Disability Services
Minister for Women
Deputy leader for the Government in the Legislative Council.
Madeleine Ogilvie
Minister for Small Business,
Minister for Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries
Minister for Science and Technology
Minister for Heritage
Minister for Racing
Jacquie Petrusma
Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management
Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence
Minister for Parks
Nic Street
Leader of the House.
Minister for Sport and Recreation
Minister for Hospitality and Events
Minister for Community Services and Development
Minister for Local Government
Lara Alexander
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for State Development, Construction and Housing
Mark Shelton
Speaker.
John Tucker
Chair of Committees
Deputy Speaker
Felix Ellis
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier
Government Whip.
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