New ALP team to focus on ‘jobs and economy’
Labor leader Dean Winter has unveiled his shadow cabinet, with a major shake-up to roles.
The new Opposition Leader has created portfolios for Integrity and Cost of Living, in a move Mr Winter says signals the party’s priorities.
Former leader Rebecca White takes on the shadow Attorney-General role, along with Integrity; Josh Willie is shadow treasurer, Ella Haddad takes on health, Sarah Lovell will be responsible for education and parliamentary newcomer Meg Brown takes on transport.
Mr Winter said it was clear to him Labor needed to change its line-up.
“Having just lost our fourth election in a row, it’s clear that we need to change some things and so this reshuffle represents very significant change in fact, almost all the portfolios have changed.
“We need to do our best to reconnect with regional Tasmania to focus on jobs, on the economy and holding this government to account.
“We have to make sure that Tasmanians understand exactly what we stand for.
“We stand for jobs, opportunities, we stand for jobs that are well paid, that are safe and secure.
“And in order for us to prosecute that we need the best possible team behind us.”
Mr Winter said Rebecca White was one of Labor’s strongest parliamentary performers. “I know that she will do an excellent job of holding this government to account as shadow Attorney-General, but also in that integrity portfolio,” he said.
“We have seen this government fail time after time when it comes to integrity.”
Ms Haddad said there was much work for the opposition to do to hold the government to account in the health portfolio. “We’ve got the worst ambulance waiting times, we’ve got significant wait times for elective surgery,” she said.
“There’s no doubt that Tasmanians
are sick of hearing the same old excuses from the Liberal Party.”
And Mr Willie said Tasmania was a great state but was being poorly served by current policies.
“There is a bleak forecast for the economy moving forward, our state’s finances are in the worst shape they have ever been,” he said.