Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National
state political reporter Ashleigh Raper

NSW Premier Chris Minns unveils his new frontbench, half of whom are women in a first for NSW

Penny Sharpe, left, Courtney Houssos, centre, and Yasmin Catley are among the 11 women in the 22-person cabinet. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)

Premier Chris Minns has unveiled a pared down frontbench that includes gender parity within the Ministry for the first time in New South Wales.

His frontbench consists of 22 ministers, 11 of which are women.

It includes Deputy Premier Prue Car as Education Minister, Jo Haylen as Transport Minister and Penny Sharpe as Environment and Energy Minister.

Ms Sharpe, who is also the government's leader in the upper house, has had the portfolio of Energy added to her responsibilities.

"Our parliaments need to look like our people," she said. 

"The decisions and the challenges that we have are complicated, brining everyone's different experience and the diversity that they bring to decision making I think makes for better parliament and for better government.

"Half women is an achievement not just for the women who have taken these positions but also for our community."

The party's former deputy leader, Yasmin Catley , has been promoted to Police and Counter Terrorism Minister, while Upper House MPs Courtney Houssos takes on the Finance portfolio and Tara Moriarty becomes the Agriculture Minister.

Ms Moriarty, centre, is the state's new Minister for Agriculture. (Facebook: Tara Moriarty)

"I'm proud of the team we have," the premier said.

"We have a lot of hard work in front of us, and a big responsibility, but my team and I are up to the challenge."

Mr Minns has not promoted former Minister Steve Whan to cabinet, after he defeated the Nationals and was re-elected to the seat of Monaro, which he held for two terms from 2003 to 2011.

It means Attorney-General Michael Daley is the only former minister in cabinet.

Ms Sharpe has been a parliamentary secretary in a previous Labor governments, so has David Harris.

Mr Harris becomes Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty Minister, as well as Gaming Minister — making him responsible for the gambling reforms.

Jihad Dib was stripped of Energy but will take on Customer Service and Digital Government.

There will not be a specific Regional Health Minister in the Minns government, the Health Minister Ryan Park, who comes from the Illawarra, will oversee the entire system.

Independent Member for Lake Macquarie, Greg Piper, is set to become the Speaker.  (AAP: Bianca De Marchi)

Daniel Mookhey was sworn in as Treasurer last week as part of the interim government.

The Premier has dumped Campbelltown MP Greg Warren, and Granville MP Julia Finn from his frontbench.

He is supporting crucial crossbench member Greg Piper as Speaker, which will also preserve a Labor vote on the floor of parliament in a minority government.

Former Premier Dominic Perrottet had 26 ministers in the cabinet he unveiled in December 2021 — seven of which were women.

The Perrottet government finished the parliamentary term with 23 ministers after resignations over various controversies.

The new Minns' ministry is expected to be sworn in later this week.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.