Local MPs lose portfolio

Bankstown MP Tania Mihailuk, who supported losing leadership contender Chris Minns, voiced her disappointment at missing out on a role in the Shadow Cabinet, although she has vowed to continue to fight for positive outcomes for the Bankstown community.
“I made it clear that I was prepared to work with the new Parliamentary leader, however, the new leader is well within her rights to select a shadow cabinet that is of her choosing,” she said.
Describing herself as a “true believer”, Ms Mihailuk says she is “utterly committed to the Labor Party cause and providing working and marginalised people with a voice”.
“I am honoured to represent a community as rich in culture and diversity as Bankstown, but our community has been consistently short-changed by the Liberal-National Government, enduring cuts to our public transport system, suffering extended wait-times at local hospitals with ageing and dilapidated facilities,” she said.
While Lakemba MP Jihad Dib remains on Ms McKay’s frontbench, the former Punchbowl Boys High School principal admitted he was saddened to lose the Shadow Education role, an area he described himself as “so passionate” about.
“I am still grateful to be able to make a contribution in new ways in the shadow cabinet,” he said.
“It’s always been about finding the best for young people … and I know I will continue to do so in my new roles.”
NSW Deputy Liberal Leader Dominic Perrottet described the new 26-member Opposition front bench as a “super-sized shadow cabinet with-the-lot” and accused the party of focusing on themselves “not the people of NSW”.
“Labor has more than half their MPs on the frontbench – they will need to put in an extension to fit them all,” he said.
“This is the same old out of touch Labor – tired slogans, pats on the back for quotas, prizes for apparatchiks, and nothing for the workers the party used to represent.”