Marshall axes veterans in pre-election reshuffle
Liberal leader Steven Marshall has announced a new shadow cabinet, with two veterans axed to make way for younger MPs, and portfolios simplified to establish “clearer lines of responsibility”.
Steven Marshall with his deputy Vickie Chapman (left), and newcomers Stephan Knoll (second from right) and David Speirs (right).
Experienced frontbenchers Duncan McFetridge and Steven Griffiths have been demoted to allow the elevation of ambitious young turks David Speirs and Stephan Knoll.
Griffiths, a former deputy leader who was previously the shadow minister for planning and local government, has been handed a consolation parliamentary secretary role, while McFetridge, who held a long list of portfolios including emergency services, disabilities and communities and social inclusion, has been sent to the backbench.
It’s a bitter blow for the Member for Morphett who told InDaily in 2015 that he would resist party moves to replace him in his seat because “frankly after 16 years in Opposition I’d like one term in government”.
Marshall said today McFetridge had his “full support” and the MP wanted to take on a role as mentor to the party’s next generation.
He said his new shadow cabinet (scroll down for the full list) represented “the structure and composition of the government I want to lead”.
“We will end the dysfunctional system that Labor has operated where departmental chief executives report to as many as seven ministers,” he said.
“By running a government that is fully committed to clear priorities, we will put South Australia back on the road to sustainable economic growth and prosperity.
“The Shadow Cabinet I will lead until the election will mirror the structure of a Liberal Government as we continue during 2017 to announce the plans, policies and programs we want to implement after the March 2018 election.”
While the portfolio structure has been simplified, the number of shadow ministers has not been reduced.
Speirs, who was elected in 2014, will be shadow environment minister, while Knoll, also elected at the last state poll, will take on emergency services.
Marshall, who insisted “nobody was pushed”, said “sometimes you need to retire off a former champion to (promote) a rookie”.
“They are both great members of parliament,” he said of the axed veterans.
However, he said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we’ve had this renewal.”
Marshall himself will take on defence industries – a role he briefly held before his ascent to leader in 2013 – pitting him against former Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith.
Marshal has also taken on indigenous affairs and reconciliation, and veterans’ affairs.
He has decided to appoint three “specialist” ministers to take on “critical portfolios”: Child Protection, Energy and Mining, and Trade and Investment.
“It has always been my intention to have a dedicated Minister for Child Protection,” he said, adding that a minister in a future Marshall Government may be given other responsibilities as soon as the area is “fixed”.
“The Nyland Royal Commission exposed the dangerous state of our child protection system and Rachel Sanderson will be 100 per cent focused on that portfolio.
“Ending the ongoing electricity crisis that is hurting South Australian households and businesses must be one of the key priorities for the South Australian Government. Dan van Holst Pellekaan will be responsible for the streamlined Energy and Mining portfolio.
“Equally important to creating jobs and growing our economy is expanding export opportunities and increasing investment in our state. Tim Whetstone will lead the charge in this important area.”
He said South Australia would not grow its wealth by “selling lattés to each other” but instead by attracting foreign money to the state though exports.
“We are going to grow the economy… and exports will be front and centre.”
Marshall said his restructure would end the current situation where some public service chiefs were reporting to up to seven ministers.
“No chief executive will be reporting to more than one minister (under a Liberal Government),” he said.
Marshall confirmed that another relatively new MP, Sam Duluk, who was elected to former Liberal leader Iain Evans’ seat of Davenport in 2015, would seek preselection to stand in Hamilton-Smith’s seat of Waite.
“I’m sure (Duluk) will win preselection… and I’m sure he will beat Martin Hamilton-Smith,” Marshall said.
As InDaily reported in December, Duluk has been attracted to Waite given last year’s electoral boundaries redistribution shifted swathes of his current seat into the neighbouring seat.
