NOT YET: Gareth Ward says he is focused on the electorate, not the ministry.
MEMBER for Kiama Gareth Ward has rejected claims he may be elevated to Barry O’Farrell’s ministry.
“The only way I’ll enter the ministry is through the priesthood,” Mr Ward joked.
“I know people have speculated and that’s all it is, speculation – it is not going to happen, not in the short term anyway.
“I have only been elected for two years and my focus is working on the things I was elected to do like ensuring the upgrades of the Princes Highway and the completion of the Shoalhaven cancer centre.
“I have no ambition to be a minister.
“To quote Mark Twain, ‘Dance with the one that brung ya’, meaning I was elected by this community and my job first and foremost is to work for them.”
The O’Farrell front bench has a combined age of 1180, with eight ministers aged over 60.
“The problem with the last government was that the cabinet was a revolving door,” Mr Ward said.
“What people want is stability so ministers can understand their departments and make them work.
“With ministers changing every few months they didn’t get a hold of their positions and we don’t want another Yes Minister situation in NSW.”
Mr Ward said he believes the current cabinet is doing an excellent job.
“They are making the tough but necessary decisions to make NSW number one again,” he said.
“A lot of our ministers were shadow ministers for a long period of
time and are very experienced and I’m sure they will continue to do a great job.”