The new Liberal party cabinet was sworn in by His Excellency Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC, Governor of Western Australia at Government House. Pictured is Premier Colin Barnett. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow
The new Liberal party cabinet was sworn in by His Excellency Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC, Governor of Western Australia at Government House. Pictured is Troy Buswell. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow
WA Premier Colin Barnett says the ALP's infighting is 'embarrassing' for Australia. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow
FEDERAL Labor's political infighting is a continuing embarrassment to the nation, according to Western Australia's Premier Colin Barnett.
As Mr Barnett's new cabinet was being sworn in at Government House in Perth, Simon Crean was calling for a spill against Prime Minister Julia Gillard - a challenge Kevin Rudd then refused to take up.
In front of his five new ministers, Mr Barnett said the only thing that would bring stability to federal politics would be an election.
Until then, he said Australia would continue to be a political embarrassment on the world stage.
"The Labor government in Canberra needs to resolve their leadership,'' Mr Barnett said.
"It is not in the interest of any country, including Australia, to have such instability at the head of a national government.
"It has been embarrassing for Australia for a long time and this point has been made to me by political leaders around Asia.''
Even as Labor's caucus was bringing a day of confusion to a baffling end with the return of Ms Gillard unopposed, the BBC in London were describing Canberra as "the coup 'capital' of the world''.
Mr Barnett said the country was sick of Labor's internal bickering.
"The federal Labor government has been unstable almost from day one,'' Mr Barnett said.
"People in Australia want to see stable government and this self-indulgent bickering that has gone on in the federal government has been appalling.
"All Australians are sick to death of the instability and people focusing on themselves instead of their job, which is providing good government at a national level.
"A change of leadership won't necessarily change that - an election will.''
Big ticket items for new ministers
TEENS in adult prisons, angry councils, surging power prices and Western Australia's farming crisis were all immediately on the agenda for the State's newest ministers.
The Premier and his new cabinet were officially sworn in at Government House by Governor Malcolm McCusker today, with the five new lads in the premier's class of 2013 taking centre stage.
Ken Baston in Agriculture, Mike Nahan in Energy, Tony Simpson in Local Government, 33-year-old Albert Jacob in Environment and Heritage, and ex-submariner Joe Francis in Emergency Services, Corrective Services and Veterans Affairs were all immediately questioned about big ticket items in their new portfolios.
Mr Francis was handed the job in the week that reports emerged of mistreatment, anger and hunger among the young offenders being kept at Hakea prison following the Banksia Hill riot in January, which wrecked the state's only juvenile facility.
He said he needed to see the conditions for himself before finding a solution.
"The first thing I have asked for is to be briefed on that issue,'' Mr Francis said.
"I need to find out what is going on, and intend to visit the facility as soon as possible.''
Michigan-born Mr Nahan's immediate priority is to help keep Mr Barnett's election promise to limit the rise of WA's electricity prices to around the rate of inflation - a pledge Treasury said would cost the government about $500 million.
"That is the big challenge in energy both for the cabinet and me as the minister,'' Mr Nahan said.
"It is not an easy one, but it is the task we have to do.''
Even before he was sworn in, Mr Jacob faced accusations he had been installed as Mr Barnett's environmental lap dog, particularly on the contentious issue of Woodside's planned gas hub at James Price Point near Broome.
Peter Robertson from the Wilderness Society said WA's new environment minister was too inexperienced.
But Mr Jacob said he was used to cracks about his young age - and they would only stop when people started saying he was too old.
"I caught wind of those comments, and I am going to be criticised by many people for many things, but being criticised for being young is not one that is going to be cutting to the bone,'' he said.
"I will be going out there to learn, to do the hard work and to listen.''
The issue of forced amalgamations of councils around WA was a little-heard topic of the election, but it is likely to generate loud and angry debate throughout Mr Barnett's second term.
Former government whip Tony Simpson will be the one cracking the whip with councillors and authority chief executives.
"We have got a long way to go on that before we make any decisions on that process,'' Mr Simpson said.
Submissions from councils on the state government-funded Robson review of the future of Perth's councils are due to finish on April 5.
WINNERS AND LOSERS AT A GLANCE
Winners:
- Ken Baston (Agriculture and Food)
- Mike Nahan (Energy, Finance, and Citizenship and Multicultural Interests)
- Tony Simpson (Local Government, Community Services, Seniors and Volunteering, and Youth)
- Albert Jacob (Environment and Heritage)
- Joe Francis (Emergency Services, Corrective Services and new portfolio of Veterans)
Losers:
- Simon O'Brien, dumped and replaced by Mr Nahan
- Robyn McSweeney, axed, losing her Child Protection portfolio to Mental Health Minister Helen Morton
- Murray Cowper, dumped, losing the Corrective Services, Training and Workforce Development portfolios
- National Terry Redman, replaced by Liberal Ken Baston for Agriculture and Food. Mr Redman also lost housing to Bill Marmion but retained Forestry and gained Water, and Training and Workforce Development.
