Premier Mark McGowan announces new WA Cabinet

As a result of the Western Australia State General Election held on Saturday, 11 March 2017, a new Labor Government was voted into power. The Labor leader, Mark McGowan, will be sworn in as Premier of Western Australia on Friday 17 March.

A day prior to his swearing in, Mr. McGowan announced the 17 ministers in his new State Government Cabinet. Among them is Ben Wyatt, who has made Australian political history with his announcement as the country’s first ever indigenous treasurer. He also confirmed Roger Cook as Deputy Premier as well as Minister for Health, and former federal MP Alannah MacTiernan, who has returned to state politics with an upper house seat, to serve as Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food.

Mr McGowan said: “it is ‘a cabinet for the times.’ I’ve got a cabinet brimming with talent, a good array of people from the regions, from the city – men and women, people of all sorts of backgrounds. It’s a terrific group of people and I’m excited about it.”

The full list of ministers in the McGowan Labor government follows:

Mark McGowan
Premier; Minister for Public Sector Management; State Development, Jobs and Trade; Federal-State Relations

Roger Cook: Deputy Premier; Minister for Health; Mental Health

Sue Ellery: Minister for Education and Training; Leader of the Legislative Council

Stephen Dawson: Minister for Environment; Disability Services; Deputy Leader of the Legislative Council

Michelle Roberts: Minister for Police; Road Safety

Alannah MacTiernan: Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Minister Assisting the Minster for State Development, Jobs and Trade

Francis Logan: Minister for Emergency Services; Corrective Services

David Templeman: Minister for Local Government; Heritage; Culture and the Arts; Leader of the House

John Quigley: Attorney General

Mick Murray: Minister for Seniors and Ageing; Volunteering; Sport and Recreation

Ben Wyatt: Treasurer; Minister for Finance; Energy; Aboriginal Affairs

Paul Papalia: Minister for Tourism; Racing and Gaming; Small Business; Defence Issues; Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs

Bill Johnston: Minister for Asian Engagement; Mines and Petroleum; Electoral Affairs; Commerce and Industrial Relations

Rita Saffioti: Minister for Transport; Planning; Lands

Peter Tinley: Minister for Housing; Veterans Issues; Youth

Simone McGurk: Minister for Child Protection; Women’s Interests; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services

Dave Kelly: Minister for Water; Fisheries; Forestry; Innovation and ICT; Science

Amber-Jade Sanderson: Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet