STARS
Mark McGowan Premier & Treasurer
If an election was held today, WA Labor would win — easily.
Labor will win the 2025 election and possibly the one after that.
That is mainly due to the unrivaled popularity of McGowan after last year’s State Election bloodbath, which laid the groundwork for a Labor dynasty.
When you look at the things that are important to most West Australians, the State scores extremely highly.
The price of housing remains the most affordable in the nation, anyone who wants a job has one, the economy is strong and the quality of life is enviable.
And, of course, WA has the worst Liberal Party of the modern era, meaning there is no real opposition..
“I would put him (McGowan) in the list of contenders as WA’s best-ever Premier,” respected WA political analyst Dr Harry Phillips told me.
I am keen to see how McGowan performs post-COVID, which will define his premiership.
For mine, McGowan needs to do more in the cost-of-living space.
Hits: The State’s finances continue to be strong with WA on track for a $2 billion surplus this year and another $10 billion in surpluses over the next three years. And McGowan has used his overflowing piggy bank to address issues in health, social housing, homelessness and policing in 2022.
Misses: McGowan’s COVID border reopening backflip in February put him at odds with health and business leaders. He defended the backflip by saying a February 5 reopening would be “reckless and irresponsible”.
Memorable moment: McGowan fires back at NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s dig at how fortuitous WA is to have natural resources by saying: “I’m advised he’s never been to WA, so I’m happy to organise a program for him.”
Rita Saffioti Transport & Planning Minister
For mine, the pick of the McGowan ministers for 2022.
Colin Barnett might have commissioned the new rail line to the airport, but Saffioti built it — and she did it during a one-in-a-100-year pandemic.
Deserves the same accolades, if not more, than Alannah MacTiernan when she built the Perth to Mandurah line.
Build the rest of Metronet, namely the rail line out to Ellenbrook and Yanchep, and Saffioti deserves to be rated the best transport minister of the modern era.
Hits: Saffioti needed to deliver the new rail line to the airport — she needed to get the monkey off her back. She has done that.
Misses: We need more Metronet rail lines opened. The good folk of Ellenbrook have been waiting a long time.
Memorable moment: I loved the way she batted off suggestions she wanted to be the State’s next treasurer. Of course, you want Treasury, Rita!
Tony Buti Aboriginal Affairs, Finance, Racing & Gaming (Following this week’s reshuffle, now Education & Aboriginal Affairs Minister)
Buti’s star is shining.
You do not get the education portfolio if you are average. I have always seen Buti as the Prince Charles of the WA Parliament — destined for a higher calling.
It is well known that he will be attorney-general when John Quigley moves on.
Buti is showing he can handle several portfolios since his ascension to the ministry in 2021.
Hits: I like the appointment of an independent monitor to oversee the Perth casino following a royal commission found Crown Resorts was unsuitable to run it.
Misses: Buti was caught out by The Sunday Times having incurred four speeding fines between 2020 and 2022.
Memorable moment: His work on Protected Entertainment Precincts laws to keep thugs out of Northbridge.
Libby Mettam Liberal deputy leader & Opposition health spokesperson
Mettam is the star performer of the WA Liberal Party, with a special commendation for Steve Thomas.
She works hard and fronts the media regularly.
Hits: As an Opposition health spokesperson, Mettam is doing exactly what she should be doing — holding the Government to account.
And Mettam is to be highly commended for her work as chair of a parliamentary inquiry that shone a light on the sordid world of sexual assault and harassment in our mining industry.
Misses: Mettam must decide in 2023 whether she wants the leadership or not and, if so, go for it.
Memorable moment: Mettam’s heart-felt comments after the mining sexual assault and harassment report was released: “To hear the lived reality of the taunts, attacks and targeted violence, the devastation and despair of the victims experienced, the threats to or loss of their livelihood that resulted was shattering and completely inexcusable.”
DUDS
John Quigley Attorney-General
This year will not be part of Quigley’s highlights reel.
A terrible 2022.
Quigley’s “silly little error” while giving evidence in a defamation case between Clive Palmer and McGowan (he had to correct evidence he gave in March) put the seed of doubt into the minds of not just his detractors, but his colleagues, as to whether Q was the right person to keep the A-G gig.
Justice Lee called Quigley a “confused and confusing” witness: not a great look for WA’s first law officer.
Hits: Quigley and fellow ministers Amber-Jade Sanderson and Simone McGurk combined to announce reform to WA’s abortion laws.
Misses: His absent-minded testimony this year in the Palmer-McGowan defamation case had shades of The Nutty Professor.
Memorable moment: The text message between McGowan and Quigley made public during the Palmer case in which the A-G tells McGowan: “Hey, are you glad me single again — not making love in the sweet hours before dawn, instead worrying how to defeat Clive.”
Bill Johnston Corrective Services, Energy, Mines & Petroleum
Hard to be flattering of Johnston when we are now having to import coal from NSW to keep the air-con on this summer.
And hard to be flattering of Johnston when McGowan had to come up with a $63 million Banksia Hill rescue package because of all the flak the juvenile justice system was copping.
Not that this would be particularly worrying Johnston. Criticism does not seem to faze him.
He has a hide like a rhinoceros.
Maybe that’s because Labor sources tell me Johnston will not contest the next election: despite Johnston saying he will.
Hits: I like the move to renewable energy beyond coal by 2030, but Johnston will be long gone before then.
Misses: Importing coal from NSW? Really?
Memorable moment: I just like the way Johnston constantly reverts to the “nothing to see here” tactic. Does it better than anyone else I have seen in WA politics.
David Honey WA Liberal Leader
Being the leader of a party after an election loss — let alone one of the magnitude of the 2021 slaughter — is often a poisoned chalice.
But Honey is simply unelectable.
A recent poll showed Honey has an approval rating of just 9 per cent. Time for his deputy to have a go.
Hits: Maybe some of Honey’s funny Labor piss-takes on Twitter.
Misses: McGowan grins like the Cheshire cat every time he thinks of Honey and Nick Goiran’s Liberal Party.
Memorable moment: Honey is such a non-factor that the most memorable moment of his year was what someone else said about him: Liberal powerbroker Goiran professing his love. Talk about the kiss of death: “David Honey has been doing a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances. It’s fake news of the highest order to suggest there is any issue with regard to David Honey’s leadership.”
THE IN-BETWEENERS
Amber-Jade Sanderson Health
Health is a non-forgiving portfolio.
And Sanderson is finding that out. Sanderson was touted as a future leader of the party before she took on health.
I still think Sanderson has the makings of a future leader.
But like every other health minister I have appraised since 2005, she is struggling to meet the high expectations of a resources-rich State.
Hits: I liked the way she stood her ground with the troubled Australian Nursing Federation over its confusing wages claim. Not one West Australian bemoans better working and salary conditions for nurses, but the ANF has come off second best in this fight with the Government. The nurses head into Christmas without a pay rise.
Misses: Sanderson has spent much of the year reacting to bad news — whether that be ambulance ramping, problems with the Government’s ambulance contract with St John or morale and staffing issues at Perth Children’s Hospital.
Memorable moment: Her moves to reform WA’s abortion laws.
Roger Cook State Development, Jobs & Trade, Tourism (has added Hydrogen Industry after reshuffle)
Cook seems rejuvenated since shedding Health last year.
He was spent after a four-year-stint as health minister — the bulk during the height of the pandemic.
The WA Labor Deputy Leader has his swagger back, and along with Saffioti, remains a leading contender to become the next Treasurer, whenever McGowan gets tired of doing that job, as well as that of Premier.
If McGowan sensationally quit, Cook would replace him.
Hits: Cook went to India (with the biggest-ever WA trade and business mission), Germany, the United Kingdom, and Indonesia to spread the word that the west is open for business.
Misses: A major challenge for WA, like every other State, is enticing overseas workers back to our shores in order to fill jobs.
Last Sunday The Times revealed the hospitality industry needs 13,000 workers for the festive season.
As Tourism, Jobs and Trade and State Development Minister, Cook plays a key role in enticing more workers to WA.
Memorable moment: How Cook tried to put on a brave face when he found out soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was not coming to Perth for the international festival of football: “While it would obviously be fantastic if Ronaldo could come to Perth, we understand family comes first and support his decision.”
Paul Papalia Police & Road Safety
The former navy diver is a good fit as Police Minister.
My nickname for Papalia is Santino Corleone of Godfather fame.
Like health, police and road safety is a thankless portfolio.
How do you curb poor behaviour, which sadly can be at its worst behind the wheel or on the streets of Northbridge. But Papalia is having a crack.
Hits: I like the introduction of new mobile point-to-point speed cameras and the continuing bikie crackdown. The introduction of firearm prohibition orders is admirable.
Misses: A record number of police officers quitting. Is it disillusionment with the job and working conditions, or coppers leaving in search of new opportunities? Likely a bit of both.
Memorable moment: His analysis of hoons. “You’ve got to wonder what’s motivating these people — compensating for something like very small brains,” Santino Papalia said.
John Carey Housing, Lands, Homelessness, Local Government
Carey continues to try to heal a sore that has been festering for years — a severe lack of social housing and homelessness.
Let’s be honest: who would want Carey’s portfolios? He is in the hot seat.
Hits: Like Papalia, Carey is having a crack. Last week he brought forward $63 million to buy more houses so he can rent them to WA battlers.
Misses: Public housing figures are still terrible: 19,000 applications for social housing (that equates to about 34,000 people).
If Carey can turn effort into results, his political cred will increase.
Memorable moment: I like Carey’s policy to assist “rough sleepers” into 100 social homes.
Reece Whitby Environment (also Racing and Gaming after reshuffle)
I have pencilled in Whitby as a possible contender to be the next Labor leader in Opposition.
But in the meantime, I want to see him challenged beyond what he has been so far. I want to see him sweat.
And adding Racing and Gaming to his Environment responsibilities in this week’s reshuffle will not do that.
Hits: In an Australian-first, a ban on the sale or supply of disposable plastic cups for cold drinks started in October in WA.
Misses: Why hasn’t the McGowan Government yet legislated for net zero by 2050? Why not enshrine its climate targets in legislation?
Memorable moment: Whitby was caught out by The Sunday Times having incurred a $400 fine on a double demerit point weekend last year. Lead-foot Whitby also incurred two other speeding fines in 2021.
Mia Davies National Party & Opposition leader
Davies is no Brendon Grylls.
Her year has been unspectacular, and she continues to be a steady-as-we-go type of leader.
Hits: I like how Davies declared the WA Nationals would support the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, unlike her Federal colleagues.
Misses: I still struggle with the hypocrisy of the Nationals arguing against more extended shopping hours in Perth. They don’t seem to mind deregulated shopping hours back home in the bush.
Memorable moment: Would have loved to be a fly on the wall when Davies found out North West Central MP Vince Catania was resigning from state politics.