A NEW broom awaits long-time Labor staff if the Liberals win government.
Liberal sources have confirmed that a massive clean out of ministerial offices and the government media unit is looming to get rid of Labor “dead wood”.
That is despite advice from long-standing Legislative Councillor Jim Wilkinson that new and inexperienced Liberal members should retain ministerial advisers to help get up to speed with their portfolios.
The Liberals are expected to secure at least 10 seats in the new Parliament but not one of those members has ever held a ministerial post.
Up to 11 new faces will enter the Parliament in what is understood to be the biggest overhaul in the 25-seat House of Assembly since 1986.
The contracts of all ministerial advisers and government spin doctors will end automatically when the polls are declared on April 7.
A major shake-up of ministerial staff appears inevitable.
Paul Lennon’s former chief-of-staff Rod Scott has already signalled his intention to retire, while senior adviser Matt Rogers will quit to move to New Zealand.
Premier David Bartlett’s chief-of-staff Terry Field and Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Rhys Edwards are also expected to be pushed aside, along with almost the entire government media unit.
