Details of Cabinet reshuffle announced

21/12/95

Premier Richard Court today announced details of a Cabinet reshuffle.

Mr Court said that the reshuffle was designed to make the best use of the talents of the Cabinet during the remainder of the Government's current term.

"The Coalition Government has made many hard decisions over the past three years to position the State in the right direction after a decade of Labor misrule," he said.

"During the next year, the Government will be focussing on the benefits of these reforms and encouraging the community to have input into social and economic policies required to take the State into the next century.

"The following changes have been made as part of the State Government's on-going reassessment of the priorities of the Government and the placement of the talents of the Cabinet to meet these changing priorities.

"I gave a commitment when I became Premier that this would be a performance based Government and all Ministers must always be kept on their toes."

The Premier said Kevin Prince would take on the responsibility of the Health portfolio from Graham Kierath.

"The Health Department has undergone a major reform process which has now been virtually completed and Kevin Prince will now fine-tune this task as the new Minister for Health," he said.

"Mr Kierath will take on the Housing portfolio from Mr Prince, in addition to his Industrial Relations portfolio.

"Colin Barnett will take on the Education portfolio and Norman Moore will now become the Minister for Tourism, Employment and Training, Sport and Recreation, and Parliamentary and Electoral Affairs.

"Although as Premier, I have relinquished the Tourism portfolio to allow me to spend more time on focussing on the overall running of Government, tourism will continue to be a major priority of the Government.

"Cheryl Edwardes will become the Minister for Family and Children's Services, Youth, Seniors, Women's Interests and Fair Trading.

"Roger Nicholls will become the new Minister for Water Resources.

"Peter Foss will become the Attorney General, Minister for Justice, the Environment, and the Arts."

Mr Court added that as part of the Government's on-going process of community consultation, the State Government would be organising a series of public forums in 1996 to allow the public to have a major input into Government policy making which would set the direction of the State into the next century.

"Details of this community wide initiative will be announced in early 1996," he said.

"It will primarily involve Government Ministers and Members of Parliament outlining the State Government's policy at a local level and seeking public input in long-term policy making.

"As a Government we are committed to listening to the views of public in setting the long-term direction of the State.

"The Coalition Government wants to develop a policy agenda based upon responsible Government as opposed to popularist Government because policy making must reflect the long term aspirations of the people of Western Australia."

THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MINISTRY

PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES OF STATE