Chief Minister Andrew Barr has split responsibility for land development, putting Mick Gentleman in charge of Northbourne Avenue and other urban renewal projects, and Yvette Berry in charge of new suburbs.
The carve-up gives Ms Berry responsibility for what will remain of the Land Development Agency once Mr Barr has split the agency in two. Ms Berry, who is also Housing Minister, will be responsible for land release, as well as the development of new suburbs.
![Chief Minister Andrew Barr announces his ministry, from left, Shane Rattenbury, Rachel Stephen-Smith, Meegan Fitzharris, ...](/web/20161102175504im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/e/j/1/2/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsef6j.png/1477889825818.jpg)
Urban renewal, including land sales in West Basin and Northbourne Avenue, will come under a new authority, with its own board, reporting to Mr Gentleman.
The Land Development Agency has been dogged by controversy over its land purchases, its close connections with developers and the spiralling cost of land in new suburbs.
Previously, the agency reported to Mr Barr. But announcing his new ministerial portfolios on Monday, Mr Barr said while he would retain financial oversight as Treasurer, primary responsibility would shift to Ms Berry and Mr Gentleman. Mr Gentleman is also Planning Minister.
Legislation to split the agency would be introduced in December, debated in February and take effect from July 2017, he said.
Mr Barr has also divested himself of responsibility for Access Canberra, the new agency that brings together the shopfronts, building services, permits and other regulatory services. That has moved to newcomer Gordon Ramsay, a former Uniting Church minister, who is made Minister for Regulatory Services.
There is no separate gaming and racing minister in the new line-up. Mr Barr said responsibility for gambling fell under Mr Ramsay's regulatory services portfolio. Mr Ramsay, the only Labor member to have practiced law, also becomes Attorney-General. The ACT Bar Association said they looked forward to working with Mr Ramsay.
"We've got ourselves a lawyer. We look forward to working with him and meeting him soon," association president Ken Archer said.
ACT Law Society president Sarah Avery similarly welcomed Mr Ramsay, saying:
"Mr Ramsay's work in the community sector should serve him well in this new role.
"The Law Society looks forward to working with our new Attorney-General to pursue good laws for the ACT community."
Mr Barr said one of the benefits of the expanded parliament, now 25 members, and more ministers, was that he was able to hold fewer portfolios.
Greens Minister Shane Rattenbury retains justice and corrections, including responsibility for the ACT prison. He becomes Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, with the departure from the ACT parliament of Simon Corbell, who led the renewables agenda that has funded a suite of wind and solar farms.
One of the first challenges for Mr Rattenbury in corrections will be tackling the findings of Philip Moss on the death of Aboriginal man Steve Freeman at the prison this year. Mr Moss will hand his report to Mr Rattenbury on Monday, November 7.
Another problem for Mr Rattenbury remains the refusal of staff at the prison to accept a needle exchange program. Despite the government's failure to progress that in the last term of government, Mr Rattenbury said he had not given up and would continue to work on it.
"We need sit down now and a have hard think about how to proceed," he said. "... We have to find some response to dealing with blood-borne virus transmission in the jail, we can't do nothing."
The other newcomer, Rachel Stephen-Smith, former chief of staff to Senator Kim Carr, becomes Industrial Relations Minister, Community Services Minister, Disability and Children's Minister, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Affairs Minister.
Meegan Fitzharris retains responsibility for the light rail project, buses, roads, rubbish and other municipal services. She also takes on health.
Mr Barr said the line-up would apply for "the first stage of the ninth Assembly". Cabinet would meet on Monday and would soon begin work on the 2017-18 budget. He expected "up to a dozen" Bills would be introduced during the December sitting week, when new parliamentary committees will also begin work.
Mr Gentleman is also the new police and emergency services minister, taking over from the now retired Simon Corbell.
The Australian Federal Police Association called on Mr Gentleman to treat Tasers for all frontline police as a priority, and to restore $13 million in funding cut from the force.
President Angela Smith said she looked forward to working with both Mr Gentleman and Mr Ramsay.
'The AFPA is looking forward to meeting with the Attorney General and Minister to outline what our ACT Policing members need to see over the next four years, which must include replacing the lost $13 million taken from the police budget, to keep the community safe," she said.
The ministerial line-up:
Andrew Barr: Treasurer, Economic Development, Tourism and Major Events
Yvette Berry: Education and Early Childhood, Housing and Suburban Development, Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Women, Sport and Recreation
Meegan Fitzharris: Health, Transport and City Services, Higher Education, Training and Research
Mick Gentleman: Police and Emergency Services, Environment and Heritage, Planning and Land Management, Urban Renewal
Gordon Ramsay: Attorney-General, Regulatory Services, Arts and Community Events, Veterans and Seniors
Shane Rattenbury: Climate Change and Sustainability, Justice and Consumer Affairs, Corrections, Mental Health
Rachel Stephen-Smith: Community Services and Social Inclusion, Disability, Children and Youth, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Multicultural Affairs, Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations