Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s new cabinet is being sworn in, with former Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman given a brand new portfolio as well as the continually plagued Health portfolio. SEE THE FULL LIST OF CHANGES
There are calls for Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath to resign after it was revealed that 10,000 patients waited more than 24 hours for a bed in emergency departments in the first seven months of this financial year. An average of 50 people per day are going without a bed – an increase from 2022, where the mean was 34 and as little as 10 in 2016. The Queensland government argues the damning figures fail to show pressure placed on the system through COVID-19, a shortage in GPs and aged care patients clogging hospitals.
Former Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman will take on the troubled health portfolio as well as the new role of Minister for Mental Health, while former Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch becomes Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Treaty.
The portfolio of Youth Affairs – previously held by former Environment Minister and now new Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon – appears to have been ditched in the reshuffle.
Rising star Meaghan Scanlon has moved from the Environment portfolio to take on Housing as her sole responsibility, signalling the government’s renewed focus on the issue amid rising homelessness.
Youth Justice has been taken from Leanne Linard and delivered to Di Farmer.
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Ms Palaszczuk said she was “firmly focused on the future”, and the key issues affecting Queenslanders.
“Our government cares about Queenslanders and what they’re thinking – I have listened and I have acted,” she said.
“I’m going to use the experience I have as Premier to have a critical focus on shaping a better and fairer Queensland, now and for the future.
“That’s why I have refreshed the government by refreshing the Cabinet, and today marks a new beginning.”
Shannon Fentiman will take on the Health Minister role. Picture: Richard Walker
The rare reshuffle of the Palaszczuk government has also seen an Indigenous woman in charge of First Nations Affairs for the first time in the state, with Minister Leeanne Enoch dropped from the Housing portfolio to instead lead Queensland’s Path to Treaty negotiations and become the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partnerships.
It’s understood the ultimate catalyst to push go was the realisation it was time for a reset according to insiders, with the Premier feeling the timing was right.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard
But the decision not to bring fresh faces into cabinet has been viewed by some as an error that won’t track well with the voters, particularly with certain ministers returning to portfolios they had previously held prior to the 2020 election.
A senior Labor source said Ms Palaszczuk’s decision came after unrelenting pressure across the troublesome trio of housing, health, and youth justice – hitting a crescendo over the last fortnight.
“It couldn’t have waited any longer,” they said.
“You don’t need polling to show you that we have issues in those three areas.”
Minister Meaghan Scanlon will move from the Environment portfolio and take on Housing as her sole responsibility. Picture: David Clark
The LNP earlier slammed Thursday’s state government cabinet reshuffle as “same old clowns in the same old circus”, and chastised Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for not booting under-siege Health Minister Yvette D’Ath from cabinet.
Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie – speaking ahead of the 11am swearing in of new ministers at government house – said “this is not a reshuffle, this is reheating a bad lunch”.
“What we have seen over the last 48 hours, in respect to the chaos and the crisis and the dysfunction, that this is clearly the same old clowns in the same old circus,” he said.
“Seriously, the Premier has lost touch with Queenslanders, this is completely all about the Premier trying to reset her government.
“If she had shown true leadership, she would have sacked Yvette D’Ath.”
Youth Justice has been taken from Leanne Linard. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall
Mr Bleijie also took a swipe at Ms D’Ath’s reported return to Attorney-General – saying “she was the one who weakened the youth justice laws”.
“This is about what is in her (the Premier’s) best interests politically – not what is in the best interests of Queenslanders,” he said.
“When this was first rumoured to be happening the Premier could have dealt with this quickly.
“Instead we’re hearing reports of Ministers – who have served as bad Ministers – not going to be sacked as they should be, they’re just going to be shuffled around and remain in cabinet.”
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