Rachel Stephen-Smith has been named the ACT’s new deputy chief minister as part of a major reshuffle following the resignation of Yvette Berry.
Ms Berry resigned from cabinet last week, after the Integrity Commission made “serious corrupt conduct” findings against two senior public servants in her education portfolio.
At a meeting of the Labor caucus this morning, Ms Stephen-Smith was elected unopposed as chief minister Andrew Barr’s new deputy.
Ms Stephen-Smith has also been named the new education minister, with the health portfolio moving to Marisa Paterson.
“I’m really, really excited to be taking on the education and child development and wellbeing portfolios,” she said.
“I joined the Labor Party because I believe in public education. That was one of the things that drove me.”
Ms Stephen-Smith noted that she was taking on the portfolio “in the midst of significant reform”.
“It’s going to be a steep learning curve,” she said.
“Obviously, I’ve been in cabinet for almost 10 years. I’ve watched the policy in this space closely, but that is not the same thing as being minister.
“I’m looking forward to getting out to every school and talking to the teachers, their unions, P&Cs, families and of course children and young people themselves.”
Other portfolio changes
Ms Berry’s departure also left the housing and sport portfolios to redistribute.
Suzanne Orr has been given the housing portfolio, while Chris Steel will take on sport and recreation.
The transport portfolio, which he has held since 2019, has been given to Attorney-General Tara Cheyne in the reshuffle.
First-term MLA Caitlin Tough has been promoted to cabinet from the backbench, taking on portfolios including corrections, community services, human rights and women.
Caitlin Tough has been elevated to the frontbench following the departure of Yvette Berry. (ABC News: Adam Kennedy)
Ms Tough said she was excited to be joining the cabinet, and said her time as government whip and balancing committee and constituent work put her in good stead to handle the workload.
“I think it’s really important … to have someone from Brindabella back at the table and have the voice of Tuggeranong back in the room with decisions being made,” she said.
“I plan to really stand up for my community of Tuggeranong in the cabinet room, and make sure everyone’s voice is heard.”
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the reshuffle made the portfolio workloads more sustainable for each minister.
“We have a very big task ahead of us, we acknowledge that Yvette Berry’s departure from the cabinet … leaves significant holes to fill in terms of very big ministerial responsibilities,” he said.
“So in looking at the allocation of portfolios, we took into account experience, new faces and new ideas — in particular portfolio areas — and ensuring that workload was balanced effectively amongst eight different ministers.”
Mr Barr noted that each minister had a “clear focus” and “clear accountability”.
“I am absolutely confident that I have a united team,” he said.
“The exercise over the last few days has brought everyone together with a collective view around how we can improve and do better for Canberra and how we can hang together as a team, and we absolutely have.”
Health portfolios separated
While Ms Stephen-Smith has handed over the health and mental health portfolios to Ms Paterson, she is hanging onto health infrastructure — for now.
“I really thought it was important to retain health infrastructure responsibilities at this time because we’re in a critical point for the new Northside Hospital and I’ve been involved throughout this process,” she said.
“We’re coming towards the end of the very early contractor involvement stage, and this is a critical moment.”
Marisa Paterson is taking on the health and mental health portfolios. (ABC News: Joel Wilson)
Ms Stephen-Smith, who has held the portfolio since 2019, said while she had full faith that Ms Paterson “will do a great job”, she knows first hand how big the health portfolios are.
“It’s about providing that continuity for some of our really important health infrastructure projects that are either in critical phases or coming to fruition, and then providing some support still in the health portfolio for the incoming minister to make sure that we can work together and I can support her as she transitions to the portfolio,” she said.
“I have no doubt she’ll do a fantastic job, but maybe it was something of not being able to quite let go at this point of some of those critical projects as well.”Berry’s departure
Labor’s ministry changes were triggered by the ACT Integrity Commission’s probing into the awarding of a contract to revamp a primary school, and Ms Berry’s subsequent resignation.
The Integrity Commission determined the former ACT Education Directorate director-general Katy Haire and Ms Berry’s then-chief of staff Joshua Ceramidas “dishonestly provided a back door” for the strategic interests of the CFMEU in a multi-million-dollar contract to revamp Campbell Primary School.
No findings were made against Ms Berry herself, and she’ll remain in the Legislative Assembly as a backbencher.
Yvette Berry stood down from cabinent last week, ending her time as the longest-serving deputy chief minister. (ABC News: Monte Bovill)
Ms Berry had been the ACT’s second in charge for almost a decade — the longest serving deputy chief minister in the territory’s history.
She was also seen as a potential future leader of ACT Labor, when Mr Barr eventually leaves the position.
In what has been regarded as a three-horse race, Ms Stephen-Smith and Treasurer Chris Steel are now firmly the two frontrunners to lead the party in the future.
But Opposition leader Mark Parton said the cabinet reshuffle is unlikely to produce better outcomes for the territory.
“What you are seeing is a government that is in genuine crisis,” he said.