In the fallout from the most recent NSW Government major reshuffle state premier Kristina Keneally has appointed Labor MP Steven Whan as the state’s fisheries minister. Whan, a rural MP from southern NSW takes over as the third Primary Industries minister in as many weeks.
Former Lands Minister Tony Kelly who recently took over the PrimaryIndustries portfolio, in the party’s previous reshuffle under former leader Nathan Rees, reverts back to a Planning, Infrastructure and Lands portfolio. Another former NSW Fisheries Minister, Ian Macdonald (sacked by Rees) is now the Minister for State and Regional Development, Minister for Mineral and Forest Resources, Minister for the Central Coast.
Premier Kristina Kenneally reportedly rangWhan early this week and asked him to take on the responsibility ofprimary industries on top of his emergency services and rural affairsportfolios.
“I’m extremely pleased – I spend a lot of my time avoiding Sydney,” Whan told The Land this week.
Whan, MP for the drought-exhausted Monaroelectorate addressed NSW Parliament’s Lower House 44 times thisyear, and notably for fishos was recently instrumental in successfully lobbying for the Gaden trout hatchery in NSW to remain open.
