Queensland's new Labor Cabinet sworn in at Government House

Extract from ABC News

Updated about an hour ago Mon 16 Feb 2015, 12:22pm

Photo: The new Queensland Government Cabinet, along with Governor Paul De Jersey, pose for photos. (ABC News: John Taylor)

Map: QLD

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's trimmed-down ministry has been sworn in at Government House in Brisbane.

The 14-person ministry, a "mix of experience and fresh faces", was sworn in by Governor Paul de Jersey.
Ms Palaszczuk announced her new 14-person ministry on Sunday afternoon following the first Caucus meeting of the new Labor Government.
Eight women including one indigenous MP were among those sworn in as new ministers.
Five of the new ministers are new to the front bench, while Cameron Dick and Kate Jones are set to return to the front bench as Health Minister and Education Minister respectively.

External Link: Cameron Dick selfie

During the election campaign, Labor promised to cut the number of ministers from 19 to 14, and have just one assistant minister, compared to the former LNP government's 12.
Labor claimed the move would save $23 million over three years.
Ms Palaszczuk was sworn in as Premier on Saturday, alongside Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and Treasurer Curtis Pitt, but officially also takes over the Arts Ministry from today.
Prior to today's ceremony, the Premier's father, former state MP Henry Palaszczuk, said he always believed his daughter would lead the state.
"Well, if you go back to her high school days, I think in the year book of when she was in Year 11 she said she wanted to be Prime Minister, but I think being Premier of Queensland is a huge honour a wonderful opportunity," he said.
"She's the 39th person in Queensland to achieve that honour and I feel so proud of her."

New ministers will struggle: Springborg

Labor MPs appointed to the frontbench for the first time will struggle with "supersized portfolios", State Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg says.
Speaking on ABC 612 Brisbane, state Liberal National Party (LNP) leader Mr Springborg said running the "$50 billion business of government is certainly a big challenge as it is".
But Ms Trad said those new ministers with previous cabinet and parliament experience "have got the greater share of responsibility".
"What we've basically got here is Australia's most unprepared and inexperienced government in our history," Mr Springborg said.
"It's going to be very difficult for these new ministers, the majority of whom have not have ministerial experience and certainly many of them weren't in parliament before last state election."

New Cabinet

• Annastacia Palaszczuk: Premier, Minister for the Arts
• Jackie Trad: Deputy Premier, Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, Minister for Trade
• Curtis Pitt: Treasurer, Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
• Cameron Dick: Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Service
• Kate Jones: Minister for Education, Minister for Tourism, Major Events and Small Business, Minister for Commonwealth Games
• Anthony Lynham: Minister for State Development, Minister for Natural Resources and Mines
• Yvette D'Ath: Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Minister for Training and Skills
• Jo-Ann Miller: Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Minister for Corrective Services
• Bill Byrne: Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Minister for Sport and Racing
• Mark Bailey: Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety and Ports, Minister for Energy and Water Supply
• Leeanne Enoch: Minister for Housing and Public Works, Minister for Science and Innovation
• Steven Miles: Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef
• Coralee O'Rourke: Minister for Disability Services, Minister for Seniors, Minister assisting the Premier on North Queensland
• Shannon Fentiman: Minister for Communities, Women and Youth, Minister for Child Safety, Minister for Multicultural Affairs
• Stirling Hinchliffe: Leader of the House, Assist Minister of State assisting the Premier

Mr Springborg said the five rookie Labor MPs appointed to the frontbench would struggle in Cabinet.
"First-time ministers who are first-time parliamentarians are going to have significant issues, not only learning the ropes of Parliament, but also these major portfolios," Mr Springborg said.
"And as they are going through the particular restructuring and reorganisation it will all but ensure the machinery of government is going to ground to a halt."
The LNP is expected to announce its shadow ministry in the coming week, but Mr Springborg said they may have more than just 14 shadow ministers.
"I'll be discussing with party room tomorrow," Mr Springborg said.
"I'm not very keen on the business of supersizing portfolios because I do know how difficult it is to run major portfolios.
"We will be very much looking at the experience that we do have. We will be looking at the lessons which we have to learn from the last state election, and there will be many and making sure that the talent we have there will match the team in government."
Ms Trad, who will also take on three major portfolios including transport, said the new Cabinet had more experience than the previous government.
"This Cabinet actually has more cabinet experience and probably more parliamentary experience than the Newman cabinet only three years ago," Ms Trad said.
"This is a very experienced, very competent Cabinet and I think the Premier's done a great job putting it together."
Ms Trad said the ministry was enlarged under the previous government.
"The ministry was enlarged under the Newman government ... so more money was being spent on more ministers and more assistant ministers to run around and do not much," she said.

Independent MP wants to be speaker

Independent MP Peter Wellington says he would like to be appointed speaker of State Parliament.
When announcing her ministry line-up yesterday, Ms Palaszczuk said she had yet to turn her mind to who would take the job.
But Mr Wellington, who helped Labor form minority government, has put his hand up.
"I think anyone would love to be speaker, it's be a great privilege to be speaker but that's a matter for parliament," Mr Wellington said.
"The standing orders make it very clear it's a vote on the floor of parliament and it'll be up to members of parliament to choose who they want to be speaker.

"I think it'd be a great privilege to have a real independent [speaker] in our parliament. It's never happened in the history of Queensland before."