New cabinet announced + some background

[SteveB]

From the ABC website

Bligh unveils eight new faces in Qld Cabinet
By Jessica van Vonderen

Ms Bligh has announced eight new faces in her Cabinet.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has revealed her revamped Cabinet which includes eight new faces.

Stirling Hinchliffe, Kate Jones, Peter Lawlor, Rachel Nolan, Annastacia Palaszcuzk, Phil Reeves, and Karen Struthers have been elevated to the Cabinet.

The big surprise in the Ministry is Cameron Dick, who was only just voted in on Saturday.

Murray Watt will be a parliamentary secretary even though his seat remains on a knife edge.

Desley Boyle, Tim Mulherin, Neil Roberts, Stephen Robertson, Robert Schwarten, Craig Wallace and Geoff Wilson will be returning to Cabinet.

However, specific portfolios are yet to be announced.

The Premier addressed her Caucus in Brisbane this morning, warning her MPs that Queenslanders expect better.

"Anybody in this Caucus who thinks that we can continue over the next term on a business as usual basis needs their head read," she said.

In other changes, former Minister Judy Spence has been made Leader of the House, while Kerry Shine will retreat to the backbench.

Other MPs to get parliamentary secretary appointments are Julie Attwood, Michael Choi, Peta-Kay Croft, Simon Finn, Jan Jarratt, Carolyn Male and Steve Wettenhall.

In earlier announcements, Ms Bligh appointed Deputy Premier Paul Lucas as the state's new Health Minister and added Employment and Economic Development to Treasurer Andrew Fraser's portfolio.

Here is some background on each of the new cabinet members
(Courtesy of ABC - Antony Green and Qld Labor website)
Desley Boyle first won this seat in 1998, succeeding former Treasurer Keith De Lacy. Before her election to Parliament, Boyle worked as a senior psychologist with Desley Boyle and Associates and holds masters degrees in psychology and business administration. She served on Cairns City Council 1988-94, including two terms as Deputy-Mayor. Boyle was appointed Minister for Local Government and Planning in early 2004. After the 2004 election her portfolios were expanded to cover Environment, Local Government, Planning and Women, becoming Minister for Child Safety after the 2006 election. Boyle took on her current portfolios of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry when Anna Bligh became Premier. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=363

Cameron Dick The new Labor candidate is Cameron Dick, a barrister by occupation who points to his family connections with the electorate going back six decades. He was born and grew up in the electorate at Holland Park before going on to complete Law, Commerce and Arts degrees. For three years in the 1990s Dick worked as an international development volunteer in the small South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu. During his time in Tuvalu Dick worked as a Crown Counsel in the Office of the Attorney-General and at the age of 27 was appointed the acting Attorney-General of Tuvalu, a position he held for one year. He has since added to his academic qualifications by completing a Master of Laws in international law at Cambridge University. He is the brother of former ALP State Sectretary Milton Dick, who now serves as a Labor councillor on Brisbane City Council. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=368

Andrew Fraser http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=370

Stirling Hinchcliffe http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=373

Labor's Kate Jones was first elected at the 2006 election. Having studied journalism and politics at university, Jones worked as a senior media adviser to the Minister for Public Works Rob Schwarten before her election to Parliament. She is currently Deputy Government Whip. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=376

The sitting Labor MP is 62 year-old Peter Lawlor, a local solicitor who contested this seat unsuccessfully in 1992, 1995 and 1998 before winning in 2001 as part of Labor's landslide. He was easily re-elected at both the 2004 and 2006 elections. Lawlor had previously served two terms on Gold Coast City Council. A roads and bridges MP, he is better known for his local electorate work than he is amongst observers of politics at Parliament House in Brisbane.http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=379

Paul Lucas http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=380

Tim Mulherin (ALP) since 1995. Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries.
http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=386

Rachel Nolan retained her majority in both 2004 and 2006.http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=388

Annastacia succeeded her father Henry Palaszczuk at the 2006 election. Henry Palaszczuk had represented the seat of Archerfield 1984-92 and Inala 1992-2006, also serving as Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Water for most of the period of the Beattie government from 1998-2006. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=390

42 year-old Phil Reeves has been a member of the ALP since 1987 and was first elected to Parliament in 1998. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Leisure Management and before his election to Parliament worked in sports management and marketing consultancy, including managing representative Rugby League teams at junior and senior levels. Reeves has been a Parliamentary Secretary since 2006. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=392

Nudgee is held by 54 year-old Neil Roberts, who was an Industrial Advocate for the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union before his election to Parliament in 1995. Roberts was appointed to Cabinet when when Anna Bligh became Premier in 2007 and is currently Minister for Emergency Services. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=395

Stephen Robertson (ALP), an MP representing outer southern Brisbane since 1992, his seat known as Sunnybank 1992-2001 and Stretton since 2001. Minister for Health. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=396

Rob Schwarten (ALP) since 1995. He previously represented Rockhampton North 1989-92. Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology. Government Leader of the House. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=397

Karen Struthers (ALP) has been an MP for this area of southern Brisbane since 1998, the seat known as Archerfield 1998-2001 and Algester since 2001. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=403

Craig Wallace (ALP) since 2004. Minister for Natural Resources and Water and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=406

56 year-old Geoff Wilson is a former barrister who worked as a union official with the Construction, Forestry and Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) before his election to Parliament in 1998. Appointed Chair of the Crime and Misconduct Commission Committee in 2002, Wilson was appointed to the Ministry after the 2006 election as Minister for Mines and Energy, portfolios he still holds. http://www.qld.alp.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=411


My observation?..
Queensland - the Unscientific State.
Not one bit of training in natural sciences amongst the whole cabinet What hope is there for informed decision making on technical, scientific or environmental matters?
_________________
"Bad luck ... you dickheads. Suffer in your jocks". (from: the Castle)