NSW Cabinet Shuffled Following Minister’s Misuse of Taxpayer-Funded Car for Private Event

March 17, 2025 TruthUSA

The reshuffle comes at the midpoint of Labor’s first term in office in NSW.

New South Wales (NSW) Premier Chris Minns has reshuffled his cabinet after a minister was forced to step down for taking a taxpayer-funded ministerial car to a private event.

The reshuffle is the first major change since Labor won office from a 12-year Liberal and National Coalition government two years ago.

Minister John Graham will take on the transport portfolio after former Transport Minister Jo Haylen was forced to step down in early February.

Graham will also continue in the arts, music, and night-time economy portfolios and will remain the special minister of state.

Minns is also undertaking a wider reshuffle of his cabinet, with Lismore MP Janelle Saffin joining as the minister for recovery, small business, and the North Coast.

Saffin has played a major role in helping the NSW government respond to ex-tropical cyclone Alfred and the 2022 floods.

“She has intimate knowledge of the workings of the NSW Reconstruction Authority and will be a very strong advocate and voice for the North Coast as well as small businesses across the state,” Minns said.

She was also “forced to swim for her life” in 2022 when the “tsunami-like” Lismore floods reached her home.

“Not long after that, she went on to help save two others also trapped by the floods,” Minns said.

“Janelle [is] one of the most experienced MPs in our government and has been instrumental in helping the Lismore community and surrounds recover from the 2022 floods as well as the recent impacts from ETC Alfred.”

As part of the reshuffle, Jenny Aitchison will become minister for roads and minister for regional transport. The regional roads portfolio will be merged into the wider roads portfolio.

“As a regional MP, Jenny Aitchison is well placed to ensure the needs of regional and rural communities are met,” Minns said.

Steve Kamper will become minister for jobs and tourism, adding to his current roles of minister for lands and property, minister for multiculturalism, and minister for sport.

Meanwhile, Emily Suvaal will be sworn in as the parliamentary secretary for trade and small business to support the minister in delivering on government priorities.

“These are important changes to the NSW Ministry that will ensure we continue to invest in essential services that people rely on, and build a better NSW,” Minns said.

The reshuffle came after it was revealed that Haylen used her driver to attend a winery lunch on the Australia Day weekend. She remains an MP.

“I did not break the rules, but I acknowledge that that’s not the only test here. I’ve let the public down, and I’m very sorry for that,” Haylen said at the time.

What’s Going On Within the Coalition?

Meanwhile, the NSW Coalition shadow cabinet is led by Mark Speakman after he became Opposition leader in April 2023.

The Liberals were in power for three terms with four premiers: Barry O’Farrell, Mike Baird, Gladys Berejiklian, and Dominic Perrottet.

Prominent players within the current cabinet include Liberal Natalie Ward, who serves as deputy leader of the Opposition, and National Party leader Dugald Saunders.

Damien Tudehope serves as shadow treasurer, while Sarah Mitchell looks after education and Kellie Sloane serves in the health portfolio.

A by-election was held on March 15 in the Port Macquarie electorate after Liberal MP Leslie Williams resigned.

Labor opted not to run a candidate, leaving the Liberals to battle it out with the Nationals, an independent, Greens, the Libertarian party, and Legalise Cannabis Party.

At the time of writing, the Liberal Party candidate Robert Dwyer is leading the two-party preferred vote with 51.4 percent of the vote compared to 48.6 percent for Nationals candidate Sean Gleeson.

Liberal leader Mark Speakman thanked voters for their support in a post to X on March 15, noting that new candidate Dwyer was on track to win the seat.

Source link