Western Australia’s long-serving Labor Minister Alannah MacTiernan has announced her retirement.
Key Points:
- Alannah MacTiernan first joined Parliament in Washington
- She served as Minister of Planning and Infrastructure from 2001 to 2008
- He said it had been a “privilege” to serve the people of WA
Ms MacTiernan, who is minister for regional development, agriculture and food and the hydrogen industry, revealed she would be leaving the cabinet and stepping down from parliament at the start of 2023.
“It is a great privilege to serve as minister,” she said at a press conference Monday afternoon.
“Having the opportunity to shape the agenda of the state. But at the end of the day, it’s also a very demanding and very absorbing activity. [job].
“You get to a point where you say, well, as much as I want to keep doing, working to advance the cause of good… maybe I need to do it in a less intense way.
“I’ve had, by modern standards, a long political career. I’ve been in Parliament for 26 years and I’ve had 13 years of ministerial life.”
Ms MacTiernan was most recently WA Minister for Regional Development and Agriculture. (ABC News: Ashleigh Davis)
Ms MacTiernan first joined the Australian Labor Party in 1976 as part of the University branch, formed the Highgate branch in 1979 and took up her first position in the WA Parliament in 1993 as member of the Eastern Metropolitan Region.
While she still wanted to remain “actively engaged”, she said her reason for stepping down was to get away from the “24/7 type involvement” of being in the Cabinet, and also highlighted their hope to foster future talent.
MacTiernan makes way for young blood
“We have an extraordinary group of talented and committed people behind us in Parliament,” Ms MacTiernan said.
“I also take very seriously this role of creating opportunities and allowing people to come in … there should always be room for them to grow.”
Ahead of the last state election in 2020, Ms MacTiernan agreed to remain in Premier Mark McGowan’s cabinet but said it would be her last term.
“Now, it’s time to move on,” he said.
Ms MacTiernan said she would continue to “sprint to the finish line” in the remaining seven weeks of her term.
“We have a lot of projects that we have on the boil, and we want to deliver them and make sure the portfolios are in good shape to hand over to the next generation,” he said.
Premier Mark McGowan described Ms MacTiernan as a politician who was “always available to her constituents”.
Mark McGowan was full of praise for Ms MacTiernan at her retirement press conference. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
“Alannah is one of those people who is incredibly passionate, works very hard, dedicates herself to her duties, never shirks responsibility,” he said.
Ms MacTiernan left Parliament in Washington in 2009 to try her hand at federal politics, serving as the member for Perth between 2013 and 2016.
Alannah MacTiernan on the campaign trail for the 2013 federal election. (ABC News)
He did not contest his seat at the 2016 federal election, marking the end of his relatively short stint in Canberra.
In 2017, the Prime Minister parachuted Ms MacTiernan back into state politics to serve in his cabinet after Labour’s landslide state election win.
“He’s had an extraordinary political career. City of Perth, Legislative Council, Legislative Assembly, Federal Parliament, City of Vincent and now Legislative Council once again … he’s really something.”
“I don’t think anyone has ever done that before. Anywhere, anytime.”
Her longest ministerial appointment was as Minister for Planning and Infrastructure from 2001 to 2008, during which projects such as the Mandurah Rail Line and the Forrest Highway were developed. She was also the first minister for WA’s hydrogen industry.
Ms MacTiernan was photographed in Demons colors at the Perth People’s Parade on the eve of the 2021 AFL grand final. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
The resignation of the Labor veteran comes at the end of a tumultuous year in which some farmers lost faith in her ability as Agriculture Minister as the threat of foot-and-mouth disease loomed, following comments that made the disease “would not see.” the entire cattle industry decimated,” a sentiment that was contrary to some industry fears at the time.
Ms MacTiernan also clashed with some in the farming sector over her stance on live animal exports, having put in place a seasonal ban on live trade, and an emphasis on regenerative farming, with Mr McGowan calling her the “mother of carbon farming in Western Australia”. .
Criticism of farmers
WA Farmers president John Hassell acknowledged she worked hard but said some of Ms MacTiernan’s decisions and comments as Agriculture Minister were at odds with the industry.
“Other than his silly comments … he jumped straight to FMD and lumpy skin disease, and the agriculture department worked really hard,” he said.
WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan says it has been a privilege to serve as minister for more than a decade. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
“In terms of disappointing things, I think their crazy drive to try to pursue an ideology of regenerative agriculture … would be a disaster for farmers in Western Australia.
“He may have worked hard, but working hard in the wrong direction is not working hard for us… it is a good move that he has decided to retire.
Ms MacTiernan backed her stance against live animal exports, saying it was a “very, very small part” of a “much more profoundly important story that needs to be told about agriculture”.
“I think I’ll be on the right side of history,” he said.
Ms MacTiernan said while her passion for “advancing the cause of good” remained strong, she would not be returning to state politics.
“Though I’ll certainly be looking forward to doing things and … furthering the cause of good. I can say I’ll never go back to parliament.”
Praise from the other side
Former WA Liberal minister Tony Simpson paid tribute to Ms MacTiernan’s decades-long career in the state’s corridors of power.
“It’s a pretty amazing effort, hats off to me [to] alannah [who] he is never one to back down from a challenge,” he said.
“He was one of those formidable members and ministers in my 12 years in the chamber.”
Former Liberal member Tony Simpson described Ms MacTiernan as a “formidable” opponent. (ABC News: Verity Gorman)
Simpson is now the chief executive of Regional Development Australia Pilbara.
He said whoever fills Ms MacTiernan’s ministries would need a passion for regional issues if they are to succeed.
“I really hope that whoever comes into the role has a good understanding of regional WA,” he said.
“That person needs passion for what they’re doing. And that’s what you saw in Alannah.”