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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-03-03 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

CABINET MINISTERS

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:24): I seek leave to read a statement issued by the Premier today in relation to two new ministers being welcomed to cabinet.

Leave granted.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: The Premier's statement reads:

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 of these ministers had previously 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.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: The Premier continues:

I thanked them both for their outstanding contributions 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. A good government is about a combination of change and continuity. It's 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 has been an outstanding minister for the past four years, delivering major reforms in road safety and achieving sign-off on a major new prison for South Australia. It was on her watch that South Australia last year recorded its lowest-ever road toll, while introducing 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. We will miss her wise counsel and community based approach.

The member for Mount Gambier was an Independent Liberal member when we decided to bring his rural expertise into the cabinet in late 2002. 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 and remains always a passionate supporter of our state's region. 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 this term, we invited him to stay on in our second term, because his contribution had been so outstanding. He has brought a different culture and regional perspective to cabinet. His decision to stay on—

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire: He was guaranteed a second term.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Which is probably more than the honourable member who interjected was given.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: You don't like it, obviously; why are you interjecting so much? The Premier continues:

His decision to stay on was a further demonstration—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Members opposite do not know how to deal with their people; they have to sack them. The honourable leader only has to turn around and look at the person behind him to get an understanding of that. The only way in the Liberal Party is to be sacked. The statement goes on:

The member for Mount Gambier has been a champion of regional and country South Australia and his work, particularly in assisting rural communities during this extreme period of drought, has been exceptional. 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 and Member for Colton as the new Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries and the Minister for Regional Development. He will retain his role as Minister for Industrial Relations. 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. He is a minister who 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 will be able to continue the important work being left by the former minister.

On Thursday of this week, it will be the 7th anniversary of this government, and the swearing in this morning of two new ministers into the parliament means they are the latest of eight new ministers that 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 they were both elected unopposed.

Also elected unopposed as the new parliamentary secretary to me as Premier, replacing the member for Napier, is the member for Bright.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: The Premier continues:

I congratulate all three on their elevation to these important new roles. The member for West Torrens will be the new Minister for Correctional Services, Road Safety, Gambling, Volunteers and Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, taking over all of the former minister Carmel Zollo's responsibilities with the addition of Volunteers and Youth. This is a broad sweep of responsibilities, but I am sure that with the energy and enthusiasm this youngest minister of the cabinet has for his new role, he will make a real impact in these areas.

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 back bench, and I expect he will tackle very well the huge challenges facing our state in terms of the skills shortages we need to fill, especially in our mining and defence industries, in the future.

We are nearly one year away from an election which will be held on 20 March next year, and I hope that these two new ministers will bring about a renewed vitality to their areas of responsibility and bring new ideas and fresh thinking into their important portfolios.

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 has 17 ministers and six parliamentary secretaries, while Queensland has 18 ministers and 11 parliamentary secretaries

I remind the council that the previous Liberal Olsen/Kerin government, like this government, also had 15 ministers of whom the current leader in another place was one. I commend the new appointments to the council.

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