“I’ve been listening to Queenslanders about several issues,” Palaszczuk told reporters after a swearing-in ceremony for the new roles on Thursday,capping off two days of speculation and meetings with ministers expected to bring fresh eyes and energy to their roles.
“Those key issues have been in the areas of health and housing and youth justice,and this is exactly the reset the government has needed,and I have made these decisions ... we need to do better,I’ve heard this message loud and clear. And we need to respond better to the public.”
Following a bruising start to the year andslipping polling figures,news of the cabinet reshuffle first emerged late on Tuesday after Yvette D’Ath was told she would bemoved from the tough health portfolio.
Pressed on whether she felt D’Ath had been doing a good job,Palaszczuk told one reporter she did not have to answer directly and praised her Labor-right faction ally and friend’s work as Attorney-General between 2015 and 2020 – a role she “is better suited to”.
“Yvette D’Ath helped us steer the state through the COVID pandemic,okay,now that is a huge achievement. But the health portfolio is huge and we need to be more responsive,” Palaszczuk said.
D’Ath has now been sworn back in as Attorney-General,in a straight swap with the new health minister,Shannon Fentiman,who will also get a mental health portfolio.