Reshuffled Rockliff Cabinet

Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier, 2 October 2023

Tasmanian Liberal Government Cabinet

Today I announce a new Tasmanian Liberal Government Ministry, that will allow us to continue to deliver on our long term plan and deliver what matters to all Tasmanians.

I am making minor portfolio changes to Cabinet, and welcoming a new Minister to our team.

Guy Barnett will be appointed as Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.

Guy completed a law degree at UTAS before gaining a Master of Law and practicing in both Australia and the United States.

Minister Barnett will retain his portfolios as Minister for Health, and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.

I am pleased to announce that Nick Duigan will be appointed as the new member of Cabinet.

Nick is a well-respected Member of Parliament and has been a strong performer for the people of the Windermere electorate and has excelled as a Parliamentary Secretary.

Nick will be taking on the portfolios of Minister for Energy and Renewables, Minister for Parks, Minister for Heritage, and Minister for Small Business.

Nick has experience as a small business owner and will be looking to continue supporting the heartbeat of our economy which employs so many Tasmanians.

Many Tasmanians will know Nick for his passion for the outdoors, having lightened up our screens and shone a light on our waterways for years. I am confident this passion will translate into a strong stewardship of our parks and heritage assets Tasmanians hold so dear.

Nick has long recognised the importance of renewable energy for Tasmania. With Bell Bay in his electorate, he will be at the forefront of renewable energy opportunities in Tasmania.

We are entering a new renewable age in Tasmania, where we recognise the work that our hydro industrialisation has played but progress to our next-generation power solution. I will be working closely with Nick to ensure that Tasmania has the energy it needs to grow and continues to have among the lowest power prices in the nation.

I’d like to congratulate Nick and welcome him to our Cabinet team.

Madeleine Ogilvie will take on Minister for Corrections and Rehabilitation, Minister for Workplace Safety and Consumer Affairs and Minister for the Arts.

Madeleine completed her legal studies at UTAS before practicing both locally and abroad. Madeleine has long recognised the role of rehabilitation in the corrections process and will bring a passion for restorative justice to the role.

Minister Ogilvie is an enthusiastic and creative member of my team, and has had a long-standing connection to the Arts community.

Minister Ogilvie will retain Minister for Science and Technology and Minister for Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries.

Jo Palmer will return as the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family Violence, in addition to her portfolios as Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Minister for Community Services and Development and Minister for Disability Services.

Felix Ellis will become Leader of the House in the House of Assembly and Jane Howlett will now be the Deputy Leader of the Legislative Council.

Dean Young will become the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Industry.

This new Ministry reflects a strong and capable team that will deliver for all Tasmanians.

Our Government is committed to continuing to deliver on our long-term plan and deliver what matters most to all Tasmanians.

The Ministry will be sworn in at Government House tomorrow.

Media release – Dean Winter MP, Shadow Minister for Energy and Renewables, 2 October 2023

Guy Barnett’s miserable six years as energy minister ends in failure

Today is the six year anniversary of Guy Barnett becoming Energy Minister.  It is also the day he has finally been dumped.

In a miserable six years, he has held dozens upon dozens of press conferences talking about energy plans and strategies, but nothing ever happened.

• He promised to de-link from the national electricity market, then didn’t.
• He promised to cap power prices if there was high volatility in the market.  Then didn’t.
• He promised a hydrogen action plan that would bring new industry to the state.  Then there was no power or water available.
• He promised pumped hydro at Lake Cethana.  That project is now effectively suspended.
• He promised to build project Marinus.  He still has not achieved financial investment decision.

He finishes his time with power prices having gone up 22.5% in two years and the business community having formally called the current situation an ‘energy crisis’.  If not for Matthew Groom, we may well be saying he was the worst energy minister in Tasmanian history.

Tasmanians want to pay Tasmanian prices for Tasmanian power.  Our 100 year investment in clean, renewable power should be driving the economy forward, but instead our economy is going backwards without enough power.

A Labor Government would cap power prices for Tasmanian households and small businesses so that Tasmanians pay a Tasmanian price for Tasmanian power.  We would push to get projects like Robbins Island, Whaleback Ridge and offshore wind into the grid, to drive the economy forward and get Tasmania back on track.

Guy Barnett’s removal from the portfolio will not impact the House of Assembly’s pursuit of him over his failure to comply with orders of the House as Energy Minister.  He will be held to account.

Editor’s note: It’s less than 3 months since the last reshuffle. The last time the music stopped The Hag said this: The Real Rockliff Cabinet – Tasmanian Times.