Anthony Albanese’s reshuffle ‘slap in the face’ after WA left with still just one cabinet minister, says Cash

Anthony Albanese’s decision not to hand WA a second cabinet spot is a “slap in the face” to the State, according to Liberal senator Michaelia Cash. Resources Minister Madeleine King will remain WA’s lone voice in Mr Albanese’s 23-member cabinet after Labor colleagues Matt Keogh, Anne Aly and Patrick Gorman were overlooked for big promotions in Sunday’s reshuffle. WA’s numbers on the wider frontbench increased after Fremantle MP Josh Wilson was promoted to assistant minister for climate change and energy. WA is considered severely underrepresented around the cabinet table given the State’s importance to the national economy and its role in securing Mr Albanese’s majority government at the 2022 election. Mr Albanese on Sunday insisted the State had not been short-changed. “We’ve actually just promoted additional WA representation,” Mr Albanese said, referencing Mr Wilson’s elevation from the backbench. Mr Albanese intends to take the frontbench announced on Sunday to the next election, meaning WA is unlikely to get another cabinet spot this term. WA had far greater cabinet representation under the former Coalition Government, with Scott Morrison’s first cabinet featuring five senior ministers from the State. Liberal frontbencher Michaelia Cash — who was among those ministers — said Mr Albanese’s reshuffle was a “slap in the face for Western Australia”. “It is completely unacceptable that there is still only one cabinet minister from WA. WA has little to no voice in Canberra,” she told The West Australian. “If Mr Albanese has no confidence in his WA team, then neither should Western Australians at the next election.” Mr Wilson was among the winners from Sunday’s reshuffle, returning the frontbench after being squeezed out following Labor’s 2022 election win. Working under senior minister Chris Bowen, Mr Wilson will likely have responsibility for small but increasingly important parts of Labor’s climate and energy agenda, such as household energy efficiency. The role will also give Mr Wilson a bigger platform to prosecute the case against the Coalition’s nuclear policy.