By DAVID BRAITHWAITE
MEMBER for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing is now Victoria’s Health Minister, following a reshuffle of the state government cabinet.
Premier Jacinta Allan announced the new cabinet, which was created by the resignations of three ministers.
Giving Ms Shing the health and ambulance services portfolios puts her in the spotlight ahead of November’s state election, with these likely to be among the big issues people will consider when voting.
“(Ms Shing will) bring new ideas to public health, backing our dedicated workforce, and will drive our work making health care easier and cheaper for busy families to access,” Premier Allan said.
Ms Shing will also return to the water ministry, which she previously held for 18 months.
Before the reshuffle, Ms Shing held the ministries for the Suburban Rail Loop, housing and building, and Development Victoria and precincts.
Ms Shing said her new portfolios fundamentally centre around providing Victorians with access to the high-quality, affordable and accessible healthcare and services they deserved.
“I am determined to continue our support for the tens of thousands of Victorian workers – nurses, midwives, doctors, paramedics, allied health and all healthcare workers – who provide world-class treatment, care, and support to patients every single day from the middle of Melbourne to the edges of the state.
“I am also delighted to be returning to the water portfolio – an area of policy that is increasingly important as we respond to the challenges of drier conditions and water security, population growth, and the environmental impacts of climate change and natural disasters,” she posted on Facebook.
Shadow health minister Georgie Crozier said Ms Shing’s record across major portfolios, including Commonwealth Games legacy, was defined by cost blow-outs, missed targets and a lack of transparency, raising concerns about the impact her promotion would have on Victoria’s health system.
“Harriet Shing is part of the government’s spin machine to con Victorians with empty promises,” Ms Crozier said.
“Victoria’s health system remains under enormous pressure as a result of the mismanagement by the Allan Labor government. Victorians deserve a minister solely focused on improving health outcomes and fixing a broken health system.
“The appointment of Harriet Shing as Minister for Health will only mean poorer outcomes for a system already under enormous strain.”
The health and water portfolios were previously held by Mary-Anne Thomas and Gayle Tierney, who, along with Danny Pearson, confirmed they will be retiring from parliament at the election, and have stepped away from their ministries to give other Labor MPs time to become known to the electorate. Natalie Hutchins already stepped aside after announcing late last year her intention to retire at the election.
Luba Grigorovitch, Paul Edbrooke, Michael Settle and Paul Hamer have been promoted into the cabinet.
Ms Settle, member for the western Victorian seat of Eureka, is one of the big winners of the cabinet reshuffle, given the agriculture and regional Development ministries.
Previous agriculture minister Ros Spence has been moved to the roads and road safety portfolio, replacing Melissa Horne, who remains Minister for Ports and Freight and Health Infrastructure in addition to a new responsibility for prevention of family violence.
Most of the top positions in cabinet remain the same, with Deputy Premier Ben Carroll still Education Minister; Jaclyn Symes remains Treasurer, but hands over regional development to Ms Settle; Gabrielle Williams still has responsibility for transport; Anthony Carbines remains Police Minister, while Sonya Kilkenny is still Attorney-General and Planning Minister, but takes over finance from Mr Pearson.
Premier Allan said she was announcing a new cabinet which was a “a strong, united Labor team focused on what matters most: making life easier, safer and more affordable”.
“My Labor team has a unity of purpose that is guided by our values,” she said.
“This is a new team, with new energy and new solutions.
“This is the strong, united team focused on delivering for Victorian families – and ready for the work ahead.”
