Premier Roger Cook (front, centre) has unveiled his new Cabinet team. Photo: Roger Cook Facebook.
Following the Labor Government’s emphatic win in the Western Australia state election on 8 March, Premier Roger Cook has named a new-look Cabinet.
Mr Cook said the new Cabinet included new portfolios including Health Infrastructure, Preventative Health, and Aged Care and Seniors, and was designed to focus on economic diversification, energy transition, jobs and manufacturing.
The Health Infrastructure portfolio will drive new capacity in the health system, including the new Women’s and Babies Hospital project and associated works at Osborne Park and Perth Children’s Hospital, emergency department upgrades at Royal Perth and Midland, and a range of regional hospital commitments.
Mr Cook said this would be complemented by the Preventative Health portfolio to reduce demand in the state’s hospitals over the long term. The Aged Care and Seniors portfolio is designed to work with the Commonwealth to deliver more aged-care places and free up hospital beds.
There is also a new Housing and Works portfolio, which the Premier said signalled the government’s approach to building, and a new Economic Diversification and Manufacturing department.
Mr Cook has also allocated ministers for each region of the state to focus on local job opportunities as well as the services and infrastructure regional communities need.
The new Cabinet comprises:
- Roger Cook: Premier; Minister for State Development; Trade and Investment; Economic Diversification
- Rita Saffioti: Deputy Premier; Treasurer; Minister for Transport; Sport and Recreation
- Stephen Dawson: Minister for Regional Development; Ports; Science and Innovation; Medical Research; Kimberley
- Jackie Jarvis: Minister for Agriculture and Food; Fisheries; Forestry; Small Business; Mid West
- Paul Papalia: Minister for Emergency Services; Corrective Services; Defence Industries; Veterans; Racing and Gaming
- Dr Tony Buti: Attorney-General; Minister for Commerce; Tertiary and International Education; Multicultural Interests
- Simone McGurk: Minister for Creative Industries; Heritage; Industrial Relations; Aged Care and Seniors; Women
- Amber-Jade Sanderson: Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation; Manufacturing; Skills and TAFE; Pilbara
- John Carey: Minister for Planning and Lands; Housing and Works; Health Infrastructure
- Don Punch: Minister for Aboriginal Affairs; Water; Climate Resilience; South West
- Reece Whitby: Minister for Police; Road Safety; Tourism; Great Southern
- Sabine Winton: Minister for Education; Early Childhood; Preventative Health; Wheatbelt
- David Michael: Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Finance; Electoral Affairs; Goldfields-Esperance; Leader of the House
- Hannah Beazley: Minister for Local Government; Disability Services; Volunteering; Youth; Gascoyne
- Jessica Stojkovski: Minister for Child Protection; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Assisting the Minister for Transport; Peel
- Matthew Swinbourn: Minister for the Environment; Community Services; Homelessness
- Meredith Hammat: Minister for Health; Mental Health.
Premier Cook said the new Cabinet team would never stop working to deliver for the people of Western Australia.
“We have a bold vision for the future of our state – a future that is made in WA,” he said.
“The portfolios allocated to my new Cabinet align with that vision, and they align with further changes to the operation of government that we will announce in the weeks ahead.
“It is a vision that will deliver a strong, diversified economy by training highly skilled workers to make more things here, build more homes and provide the services every Western Australian should have access to, no matter where they live in this great state.
“In these globally uncertain times, my priority is to make the WA economy more resilient and establishing our state as a renewable energy powerhouse, which will drive our commitment to exit coal-fired power generation, help our trading partners to decarbonise and ensure secure and affordable energy.
“New portfolios of Preventative Health, Health Infrastructure and Aged Care and Seniors will reduce demand on our hospitals over the long term and ensure Western Australians continue to live in the healthiest state in Australia.
“My new Cabinet will work hard to deliver real cost-of-living relief to Western Australians, from our household battery rebate to expanding free kindy and free TAFE, to delivering another round of student assistance payments and cheaper public transport.
“It’s now time for my new Cabinet to get to work to deliver for Western Australians and to do what’s right for WA.”
