Vic: Thwaites coy about future in health
MELBOURNE, Dec 2 AAP - Victorian Labor deputy leader John Thwaites today refused tobe drawn on whether he wanted to retain the major health portfolio in the re-elected Bracks'government.
Premier Steve Bracks will this week finalise his second-term cabinet, and allocateportfolios, after union factions put forward nominations for the positions.
Mr Thwaites told ABC Radio the number of ministerial positions could potentially beincreased, but he was coy about which portfolio he expected.
Asked if he was happy to stay on as health minister, Mr Thwaites said: "Of course,that is always a matter for the premier and the premier will be working on the new ministerialportfolios over the course of this week."
Mr Bracks would have to balance experience with the need to bring in new blood andto reinvigorate the cabinet, he said.
The landslide win, which is expected to give Labor control of both houses of parliament,gave the party an historic opportunity to implement its policies, Mr Thwaites said.
He said reform of the Upper House was a dream that could now be realised.
Mr Thwaites continued to rule out the introduction of sex "tolerance zones" in thebayside suburb of St Kilda.
He also said Labor would not (not) try to resurrect its policy of setting up heroininjecting rooms.
Heroin deaths had substantially reduced as a result of a heroin drought and the government'sdrug policies, he said.
"It (injecting rooms) is just not appropriate any more and it is not part of our policy,"
Mr Thwaites said.
AAP lmw/clr/tnf/sb
KEYWORD: POLLVIC THWAITES
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