Home
opinion

Editorial: Albanese Cabinet is short on WA voices

Editorial The West Australian
CommentsComments
New Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his new Cabinet and ministry on Tuesday evening.
Camera IconNew Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his new Cabinet and ministry on Tuesday evening. Credit: Sean Davey/The West Australian

New Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his new Cabinet and his ministry after much conjecture on Tuesday.

It came on the same day that Albo revealed he planned to return to our State this weekend to thank West Australian voters for giving Labor a majority government.

In many ways, the Labor leader gave with one hand but took with the other.

It’s great that Mr Albanese is spending the night in Perth on Saturday before he makes his way to Indonesia on Sunday night.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

And we’re sure the State will embrace him with open arms and appreciate the recognition and thanks for delivering him electoral victory.

But, let’s not forget there is only ONE West Australian in Mr Albanese’s 23-strong Cabinet.

That person is Madeleine King, Labor’s most senior Federal MP in WA, who has been appointed as Minister for Resources and Northern Australia.

The trade portfolio that the Brand MP held in Opposition has been assigned to South Australian senator Don Farrell.

Yes, it is great to see faces like Anne Aly and Matt Keogh on the frontbench, representing Western Australia.

Both have joined the outer ministry, with Mr Keogh, the member for Burt, becoming the Minister for Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel and Dr Aly, the member for Cowan, being made the Minister for Early Childhood Education and Youth.

Yet there now being only one West Aussie in Cabinet suggests we may actually have our work cut out in making sure the State is listened to in Canberra.

Our new Prime Minister should never assume WA’s love affair with his Labor Government will last forever.

Perth MP Patrick Gorman was overlooked for promotion to the ministry and was named Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister.

Mr Gorman was the only West Australian appointed an assistant minister, with Fremantle’s Josh Wilson and WA senator Louise Pratt both dropped after previously holding shadow posts

WA Liberal senator Michaelia Cash took the opportunity to criticise Mr Albanese over it, by saying the PM had “shown his contempt for WA” by only appointing a single West Australian to Cabinet.

“This is fewer cabinet ministers than even the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government, who used WA as a cash cow and consistently robbed us of our fair share of GST,” she said.

“The previous Coalition government consistently had several ministers from WA, enabling our State to finally get its fair share of GST.”

Up until the election, there were four WA MPs in Scott Morrison’s cabinet; Michaelia Cash, Linda Reynolds, Melissa Price and Ken Wyatt.

West Aussies are naturally cynical of the east, particularly when it comes to politicians and government.

So our new Prime Minister should never assume WA’s love affair with his Labor Government will last forever.

But, here’s hoping that Albo is a Prime Minister of his word.

And here’s hoping his appreciation of the west does not diminish with time.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails