This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
A POTENTIAL conflict of interest with her lobbyist brother has seen Lizzie Blandthorn removed from the planning portfolio following a cabinet refresh by Premier Daniel Andrews after the recent Victorian state election.
Sonya Kilkenny will be the new Minister for Planning, while keeping her responsibilities for fishing, boating and the other activities as Minister for Outdoor Recreation.
Blandthorn, who is switching from the lower house to the upper house, will be Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, taking on the portfolios of Disability, Ageing and Carers and Child Protection and Family Services and leading the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.
She was only in the Planning Minister role for a few months, appointed in June to take over from the retiring Richard Wynne. She recused herself in the following weeks from projects involving her lobbyist brother John-Paul Blandthorn, who is a director of Labor-linked lobbying firm Hawker Britton. The firm’s clients include construction giant John Holland, developers including the Dennis Family Corporation and Intrapac – and did include the collapsed Caydon – as well as planning firm Tract.
Kilkenny has been a member of the Victorian lower house since 2014 and is the member for Carrum after comfortably retaining her seat in November. She was appointed as Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, and Minister for Victim Support, as well as Minister for Fishing and Boating, in July.
Before entering politics, she was a lawyer in commercial litigation and banking and finance, and she also worked for the Kimberley Land Council in Broome and was on the Board of The National Theatre and Back to Back Theatre.
Meanwhile Danny Pearson has retained his portfolio as Minister for Housing. Pearson was elevated to the ministry in June this year along with Blandthorn.
Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan will remain as Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, and is Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop and Minister for Commonwealth Games delivery.
Tim Pallas remains as Treasurer, and is Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Trade and Investment.
