Western Australian Labor selects new cabinet members in first post-election meeting

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Roger Cook has unveiled sweeping changes to his cabinet - with every Minister either losing or gaining a portfolio. He's also thrown three new Ministers into the deep end, giving them the demanding roles of Health, Child Protection and the Environment.

Transcript

00:00Out with the old, and in with...

00:05A new government that will pursue every opportunity with energy and excitement.

00:11The Premier keen to make his mark with wholesale changes to the Cabinet.

00:15The purpose of these changes is to respond to the opportunities and the challenges that

00:19exist in modern day Western Australia.

00:22One of the biggest surprises, the appointment of first time Minister Meredith Hammett to

00:27the health portfolio.

00:29In breathtaking hypocrisy, it's extraordinary that Roger Cook, who campaigned on experience,

00:36has a new health minister who is still on their L-plates.

00:40We know that she's ready for this challenge and we know that we need to continue to bring

00:44a much more team-like approach to the health portfolio.

00:47The former health minister, Amber Jade Sanderson, will take an economic focus with the energy

00:52and decarbonisation portfolios.

00:55Premier Roger Cook picks up the newly created Economic Diversification portfolio.

01:01Ministerial newbies Matthew Swinborne and Jessica Stojkowski have landed the key posts

01:06of Environment and Child Protection and Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence.

01:11As for Labor's veterans, Rita Safioti keeps her key portfolios as Treasurer and Transport

01:16Minister.

01:17Paul Papalia loses Police, which goes to Rhys Whitby, who also gains Road Safety and Tourism.

01:24As part of the new cabinet, WA's regions will each have their own minister, despite

01:29many of them not living in those particular areas.

01:32It's something Roger Cook says has long been his ambition.

01:35It's important to have a senior government minister focused on a particular area, not

01:39just from the point of view of personal experience, but obviously making sure that they're working

01:44with their colleagues to ensure that that region gets the focus it needs.

01:47But the National's leader isn't convinced it'll improve the trust of regional voters

01:52who swung hard against Labor at the election.

01:55It's disappointing too that people unconnected to the regions have been allocated regions

02:01to look after.

02:02The Cook cabinet will be sworn in on Wednesday.

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