Jeremy Rockliff’s Cabinet decision says it all about where his government is at.
With Madeleine Ogivlie forced to resign after being exposed for misleading Parliament, everyone expected a new minister to be sworn in to fill the vacancy. It seems Jeremy Rockliff has such little faith in his back bench he’s picked an empty chair over all of them instead.
It’s fair enough not to want Michael Ferguson, who was also forced to resign over his bungling of the Spirits. Or Mark Shelton, still under a dark cloud for his unexplained legal issues. And Roger Jaensch has previously faced multiple no-confidence motions over his terrible record while Minister for Children.
But why didn’t the Premier give Marcus Vermey or Rob Fairs a crack? As it is, the Premier’s decision will mean the ministerial load weighs heavier on his existing Cabinet.
While there may be a small financial saving, it also means these ministers are spread wafer thin. That’s not good for decision-making. It’s in everyone’s interests to see ministers who are able to work effectively in all their portfolios.
Jeremy Rockliff’s decision also begs the question about what would happen if another minister leaves their position. He would have no choice at that point but to pick from a group of people he’s just demonstrated he has no confidence in being a minister.
