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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-03-03 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

CABINET MINISTERS

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:04): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Yesterday, at the conclusion of our Monday cabinet meeting, I received the resignations of two of my ministers: the member for Mount Gambier and the honourable member of the Legislative Council, Carmel Zollo. Both ministers indicated to me in about the middle of last year that they intended to retire from cabinet before the next election, which is nearly one year away. I thanked them both for their outstanding contribution to the cabinet and for their hard work to bring about reform in their areas of responsibility to improve the lives, services and conditions of South Australians in so many ways.

With their resignations came an opportunity to undertake a small reshuffle within the cabinet. This is a good thing. I have always believed that combined with experience and knowledge should come fresh new ideas and a renewal of vigour and purpose. Good government is about a combination of change and continuity. On the other side, of course, it is about replacing their leaders all the time—this is the fifth that I have faced. It is about the stability and renewal in which this government has engaged over the past seven years.

The Hon. Carmel Zollo was the first Italian-born woman to enter the Legislative Council and she has been an outstanding minister for the past four years, delivering major reforms in road safety and corrections, achieving sign-off on a major new prison for South Australia. Indeed, it was on her watch that South Australia last year recorded its lowest ever road toll. In the 1970s it was around the 370 mark; last year it was under 100 for the first time, still too many but a massive drop in the road toll. She also introduced big changes to the graduated licence scheme that will ensure our young people are better prepared for taking on a full driver's licence.

In her responsibilities as Minister Assisting in Multicultural Affairs she has attended many hundreds of functions and met thousands of migrants to South Australia and has been an inspiration to many people who have seen her career develop. She is also, of course, Minister for Emergency Services and other areas. We will miss her wise counsel and community-based approached.

The member for Mount Gambier was an Independent Liberal member when we decided to bring his rural expertise into the cabinet in late 2002. He was a former member of the Liberal Party and then a Liberal Independent. I said at the time—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: Mitch is in pain because Rory got six more years than him!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: That is right. I said at the time he entered cabinet that he had talent, ability, enthusiasm and energy—all of the qualities necessary to be an effective member of cabinet. He has not disappointed us.

The member for Mount Gambier was involved for many years in local government and was always, and remains, a passionate supporter of our state's regions. While his decision to join our cabinet ensured the government had the stability necessary in the lower house to support the government's important legislative reform program planned for the parliamentary term, we invited him to stay on in our second term because his contribution had been so outstanding.

Everyone predicted that as soon as we got a majority in our own right, let alone the biggest majority in our own right, that we would then automatically jettison the Independent members of cabinet. We said we would not do so and we held to our word, because in so many ways both the member for Mount Gambier and, indeed, the leader of the National Party in this state have brought a different culture, experience, expertise, and regional and rural focus to the government.

Mr McEwen's decision to stay on was a further demonstration that the government was working in a bipartisan way in the best interests of the state. The member for Mount Gambier has been a champion of regional and country South Australians and his work, particularly in assisting rural communities during this extreme period of drought, has been exceptional.

I also want to pay tribute to his role as minister for state/local government relations. Coming from the local government sector, as he did, he was acutely aware of the issues, challenges, problems and potential.

I have taken the decision to replace him because the severity and longevity of this current drought means the importance of agriculture, food and fisheries and our regions are priorities that continue to require a high level of ministerial time and attention.

That is why this morning I appointed the Minister for Industrial Relations (the member for Colton) as the new Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries and Minister for Regional Development. He will retain his role as Minister for Industrial Relations. As I mentioned earlier, I am sure there are celebrations amongst amateur and recreational fishers. It is worth mentioning in this house that we have a world-rated fisherman in our cabinet, a dual gold medallist. Of course, just because the fish he caught appeared to be at least partly frozen is irrelevant.

I believe the member for Colton will be an excellent minister, representing rural regions, especially given the severity of this drought and the ongoing issues associated with it. Of course, he has been responsible for the TAFE network, which has a strong representation in regional and rural areas. As the minister has proven, he can make a real connection with all South Australians. He has a natural ability as a listener, a thinker and a problem solver, and he will be able to continue the important work left by the former minister.

Thursday this week will be the seventh anniversary of this government. The swearing in this morning of two new ministers into the parliament means that they are the latest of eight new ministers who have entered the cabinet since our initial cabinet was sworn in in March 2002.

I am delighted that, this morning, cabinet welcomed into its ranks the member for West Torrens and the member for Napier, following a ballot in our caucus room meeting where both members were elected unopposed, unanimously, and by acclamation. Also elected unopposed is the new parliamentary secretary, the member for Bright, who is replacing the member for Napier. I am delighted to announce that she will be parliamentary secretary to the Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change and Minister for the Arts.

The member for West Torrens will be the new Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Gambling, Minister for Volunteers and Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, taking over all the responsibilities of former minister Carmel Zollo, in addition to volunteers and youth from minister Caica's previous responsibilities. Of course, he is the youngest minister in the government. He combines youth and vigour. This is a broad sweep of responsibilities, but I am sure that, with the energy and enthusiasm that this youngest minister of the cabinet has for his new role, he will make a real impact in these areas. I know that the Minister for Multicultural Affairs has a rigorous program of attendances at multicultural functions ahead for the member for West Torrens, the new minister.

The member for Napier will become the new Minister for Employment, Further Education and Training, and Minister for Science and Information Economy, taking over those responsibilities from the member for Colton. The member for Napier has long been recognised as a real talent on our backbench and I expect that he will tackle very well the huge challenges facing our state in terms of skills shortages that we need to fill in the future, especially in our mining and defence industries. Obviously, the skills training agenda is critically important for the future of the state as we plan and invest in recovery. That is the difference between us and members opposite.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: You did not even know what the Fraser Institute was! You thought it had something to do with Malcolm Fraser. We are nearly one year away from an election, which will be held on 20 March next year. In fact, on this day I can give the election date of 20 March and also rule out an early election; as much as we enjoyed the by-election in Frome.

I hope these two new ministers will bring renewed vitality to their areas of responsibility and bring new ideas and fresh thinking into their important portfolios—and I am sure they will. On a final note, it is worth remembering that South Australia continues to have the lowest number of ministers of any state government in mainland Australia. The Western Australian government, I am told, has 17 ministers and six parliamentary secretaries, while Queensland has 18 ministers and 11 parliamentary secretaries. I remind the house that, like us, the previous Liberal Olsen/Kerin government had 15 ministers of which the current leader was one.

Mr Venning: There were three junior ministers; that's misleading.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: That is an outrageous attack on the Leader of the Opposition. The member for Schubert might have considered him junior but we knew that, during that brief, shining moment, the best and the brightest of the Liberal Party had begun that rise—indeed, I remember that he was appointed as cabinet secretary—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —and I will talk more about that position in the future. I commend the new appointments to the house. I know that I speak not just for members on this side but for all members of parliament in welcoming these new ministers. We look forward to their contribution to the people of this state, because that is what it is all about.

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