The new ministerial line-up will see substantial change with four new ministers, new roles in the outer ministries and over half the Cabinet with new or changed responsibility: Kevin Rudd is back, this time as Foreign Minister, and Stephen Smith has been moved to Defence; Penny Wong has been moved to Finance while Greg Combet has been given her Climate Change portfolio; Chris Bowen has been moved from Finance to Immigration while Simon Crean is to be responsible for a new ministry of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government plus the Arts.
Dr Geoff Robinson, political analyst at Deakin University, said the Gillard ministry was “a reasonable selection” in response to events before and after the elections.
Kevin Rudd’s appointment to Foreign Minister was widely expected as a result of the former prime minister’s support during the campaign, he said.
While many Queenslanders had questions about the Rudd Government there was much sentiment about the way Kevin Rudd, a Queenslander, had been removed, adding fuel to Labor’s concern about its standing in Queensland.
Stephen Smith, who graciously stepped aside as Foreign Minister for Mr Rudd, is expected to meet the challenge of the more demanding Defence portfolio.
Regional Development
Dr Robinson believes the most interesting and challenge ministry will be Simon Crean’s Regional portfolio, created in response to demands by regional independents.
“What exactly that is going to mean and how that is going to work will be a challenge for Simon Crean” said Dr Robinson, “actually putting into place the new regional development push and ostensibly keeping independents onside.”
However, after 20 years in Parliament and with Primary Industries, plus Employment, Education and Training among the portfolios he has held, Simon Crean says he is passionate about his new role and believes he is up to the job.
“Regions deserve not just a fair go, they deserve their individual diversity to be understood better and for them to be able to come up with creative local solutions as to how they can make it work better for them,” he told the ABC.
