Seeney slams ministerial changes

FIGHTING ON FOUR FRONTS: Callide MP Jeff Seeney, who is Opposition spokesman on Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, will oppose four Government ministers after the Cabinet reshuffle

PREMIER Anna Bligh's revamped ministry will create an “administrative nightmare” that could lead to a blame game on water management and flood mitigation, according to Callide MP Jeff Seeney.

On Monday, Premier Anna Bligh unveiled what she called her reshaped, re-invigorated Cabinet, with three new ministers and sweeping changes to portfolios.

Mr Seeney, the Opposition's spokesman on Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, blasted the changes, which have seen Stephen Robertson become the Minister for Energy and Water Utilities but lose natural resources to Kate Jones, who is the Minister for Environment and Resource Management.

Mr Robertson's mining responsibilities have gone to new Employment, Skills and Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe.

Mr Seeney will take on a fourth minister on the controversial coal seam gas (CSG) industry, with Deputy Premier Paul Lucas set to deal with the industry as Special Minister of State.

“The new arrangements by the Government are all about ALP factional fighting behind the scenes and absurd from an administrative point of view,” Mr Seeney told Central Telegraph.

“The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) is a classic example. There is no responsible minister for DERM and natural resources, water, mines and energy are spread among four ministers and some are in DERM and some are not.

“It is an administrative nightmare and all about ALP internal politics. The people of Queensland are the losers, especially those who have do deal with DERM – as landholders, primary producers and local governments must do,” Mr Seeney said.

He said responsibility for water had been split across three portfolios.

“Stephen Robertson and Rachel Nolan now have exactly the same responsibility for bulk water supply, distribution and retail arrangements, including drought-proofing our water supplies and setting dam levels. However, anything to do with flood mitigation, release levels and the operation manuals is handled by Kate Jones.

“Don't be surprised if we see a political hot potato game form, with each minister deferring their responsibility to another in an endless circle of blame.”

The veteran LNP member also worked to quash rumours that the Opposition would have its own shadow ministerial reshuffle or that leader John-Paul Langbroek was under mounting pressure to lift his game after the Premier's stunning bounce back in the polls based on her handling of the state's natural disasters.

Mr Seeney said he did not expect his shadow ministerial responsibilities to change.

Premier Bligh said the Cabinet changes reflected the Government's key priority of rebuilding the state.

“This is the right team and the right mix of portfolio responsibilities to get Queensland through this massive job of rebuilding and recovery,” Ms Bligh said.