Premier Roger Cook announces major changes following Paul Papalia’s resignation
Updated ,first published
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook is taking on tourism, while his deputy Rita Saffioti’s transport portfolio has been expanded to include major infrastructure as part of a cabinet reshuffle announced on Sunday.
The change, spurred by the resignation of former minister and Secret Harbor MP Paul Papalia earlier in the week, will see first-term Landsdale MLA Daniel Pastorelli also hand over the water, minerals, oil and exploration portfolios.
Don Punch will take over Papalia’s former racing and gaming portfolio, while responsibility for corrective services will be handed over to current Attorney General Tony Buti.
Cook also transferred the state development portfolio to David Michael, adding to his existing oversight of finance, electoral affairs and Goldfields-Esperance.
But the biggest shake-up revolves around positioning WA for a future in defense manufacturing, with Cook taking over the defense industry portfolio and Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson supporting the premier in her role as deputy defense industry minister.
The move anticipates a flurry of investment and development at Henderson, south of Perth, with the prime minister’s aim to develop WA as the largest marine maintenance and shipbuilding center in the Southern Hemisphere.
“This is a solid change aimed at ensuring we can redouble our efforts to diversify the economy and keep Western Australia’s economy the strongest in the country,” Cook said.
Saffioti’s expanded portfolio will include “the development of new common user infrastructure to support the defense industry.”
Cook said the deputy prime minister had already undertaken “important work” with the upcoming Westport project south of Perth and added “now I want him to also focus on defense infrastructure, or infrastructure that supports defense industry efforts.”
“So we have to understand that this potentially and by definition goes beyond the responsibilities of a transport minister,” he said.
Meredith Hammat will also add preventive healthcare to her portfolio, which dovetails with her existing health and mental health responsibilities.
Pastorelli’s background in the Labor Party and his stint as chief of staff in the offices of both former premier Mark McGowan and Cook, as well as his “significant profile” in the state’s business community, were cited by the prime minister as reasons behind the first-term MPs’ portfolios.
“There is potentially no more important role in the country than being minister of mines in Western Australia, and from that perspective, [Pastorelli will] “We bring together both experience, institutional knowledge and strong industry relationships to ensure we can continue to keep the resources industry as one of our biggest economic drivers.”
Cook said diversifying WA’s economy underlined the government’s priorities on jobs, health and housing.
He described Perth MLA John Carey as a “savior” as he detailed why he was given the role of assisting the transport and major infrastructure minister.
Turning to the upcoming by-election in Papalia’s former headquarters, Secret Harbour, Cook sidestepped questions about whether he would pressure Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to get on the campaign trail, saying it would be “unusual” for a prime minister to be involved in a by-election in the state.
“This is about the people of Secret Harbor. This is not about the political gamesmanship taking place on the east coast,” he said.
“[Albanese is] he runs the country and this is a by-election for a state seat. “But Albo coming to Western Australia will always be welcome.”
