ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has unveiled his new look cabinet team, including all but the two newest Labor members of the legislative assembly. And though he's promised there'll be no cuts to public service jobs, they'll be looking at possible changes to the 'machinery of government'.
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00:00An eight-member cabinet, the Chief Minister wouldn't settle for anything less.
00:07You start getting to the point that Ministers have five, six or seven portfolios each.
00:12And we've been in that world in the past when the Assembly only had 17 members.
00:17They'll still have their work cut out for them.
00:20Andrew Barr retained economic development and tourism and trade.
00:24And Yvette Berry keeps education, housing and sport.
00:27But Rachel Stephen-Smith will take on the new mantle of Finance Minister,
00:31along with Health and the Public Service.
00:33And Chris Steele takes the reins as Treasurer, long held by the Chief Minister.
00:38I did indicate in the last term that I would not be Treasurer forever
00:42and that there would be a time to hand over the portfolio.
00:46That time is now.
00:48The Chief Minister also says it'll allow him to focus on the promised pipeline of projects
00:53through an expansion of major project Canberra, now to be called Infrastructure Canberra.
00:58That will be a core part of my responsibilities,
01:02but also in part experience and wisdom where I can value add.
01:07Meanwhile, Suzanne Orr returns to Cabinet after time on the backbench
01:12with Indigenous Affairs, Environment and Energy and Community Services.
01:16Michael Pedersen was also promoted, with portfolios including Business and Arts,
01:21as was Marisa Patterson, who takes over Mick Gentleman's old role,
01:25overseeing Police and Emergency Services.
01:28And Tara Chain will take up Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury's former role as Attorney-General.
01:33There is now, I think, a time and a need for some action
01:37and some reform to be seen in the sector,
01:40and particularly across the criminal justice sector.
01:44The Government also sees the need for change in the way the ACT public sector operates.
01:49I think there have been some areas where we feel we have been let down
01:53and we want to take a renewed focus on shaping the ACT public service.
02:02This is not about cutting public service jobs,
02:04and in fact we're committed to things like insourcing our cleaners at Canberra Health Services,
02:09ensuring that we grow our health workforce.
02:12They'll have just a few weeks to get across the detail
02:15before the new Assembly's first sitting week in early December.