Premier Mike Baird said the appointment of Cronulla MP Mark Speakman to cabinet was long overdue.
Mr Speakman was appointed Minister for Environment, Minister for Heritage and Assistant Minister for Planning when Governor David Hurley swore the new ministry in on Thursday, April 2, at Government House.
‘‘Mark Speakman has got an unbelievable pedigree for someone coming into politics,’’ Mr Baird said later.
‘‘He comes in as someone with huge credentials and [promotion to the ministry is] long overdue.
‘‘I think in politics, patience is not always [something shown by] every member of parliament.
‘‘But, certainly, Mark has shown, not only in the way he has gone about representing his community at Cronulla so faithfully, but his operation in parliament.
‘‘His participation in committees, debates is so considered, so constructive.
‘‘He will be an outstanding minister and I think Sutherland Shire, and particularly the electorate of Cronulla, will be very proud of him.’’
Mr Speakman said he was ‘‘ever hopeful’’ of promotion ‘‘but, I had no expectation’’.
‘‘I am delighted to get in the ministry and certainly delighted with the portfolios I have been given’’ he said.
Mr Speakman would not be drawn on any changes he might seek to make through his new roles.
‘‘I am going to be reading multiple briefs this afternoon,’’ he said.
‘‘While other people are getting Easter eggs, I will be getting stacks and stacks of documents to read over the weekend and digest as quickly as possible.
‘‘I will digest the voluminous material I have to read in the next couple of weeks and make further comment after that.’’
Mr Speakman said Mr Baird had chosen ‘‘a pretty strong ministry, certainly an energetic ministry’’.
‘‘I think we had a good mandate over the weekend to get on with bold change in NSW and that’s what this ministry will be doing,’’ he said.
What changes would you like Mark Speakman seek to make?
