AUTHOR: John Rolfe Clare Armstrong SECTION: GENERAL NEWS ARTICLE TYPE: NEWS ITEM AUDIENCE : 221,641 PAGE: 2 PRINTED SIZE: 284.00cm² REGION: NSW MARKET: Australia ASR: AUD 14,449 WORDS: 410 ITEM ID: 1231854327

06 FEB, 2020 New minister to pit his wits on coal & nuclear

Daily Telegraph, Sydney Page 1 of 1 New minister to pit his wits on coal & nuclear

JOHN ROLFE nuclear power and the con- issues … are going to present a & CLARE ARMSTRONG templation of small, prefabri- challenge for the government cated reactors. or for veterans,” he said. THE man tipped to be Austra- With an electorate stretch- The outer ministry position lia’s new Resources Minister is ing from Hervey Bay to is supposed to go to a Nation- a passionate advocate for Bundaberg, Mr Pitt represents als member, meaning an un- “clean coal” power stations the people with the lowest tested junior would lead the and the latest nuclear reactors. average incomes in the nation. government’s commitment to As the Coalition struggles “They can’t afford to pay create a permanent commis- to contain increasing internal any more for electricity,” he sion on veterans suicide. strife over climate change pol- said. icy, Keith Pitt (pictured) is set Prime Minister Scott Morri- to assume one of the most sen- son is expected to announce sitive roles in the Morrison his new-look ministry today government. after the resignation of embat- A former electrician, uni- versity-trained engineer and tled former Agriculture Minis- cane farmer, Mr Pitt would ter Bridget McKenzie forced a replace at the Cabinet table minor reshuffle of positions fellow National Matt Canavan, held by Nationals members. who quit his portfolio on Mon- Veterans Affairs Minister Darren Chester is a strong day night to contender for a promotion to s u pport Cabinet and has already indi- Barnaby cated an interest in the emer- Joyce’s failed gency management portfolio bid for the held by Minister David Little- party’s lead- proud. This could free up Mr ership. Littleproud to return to Agri- “I’m ob- culture, a position he pre- viously keen viously held before he was to take on given oversight of a number of more responsibility,” Mr Pitt contentious policy areas in- told The Daily Telegraph yes- cluding drought, water resour- terday. ces and the bushfire response. Like Senator Canavan, he is “That’s at the discretion of a big believer that high- the Prime Minister and efficiency, lower-emission Deputy Prime Minister – I’ll coal-fired power stations have just be humbled to be in the a role to play in reducing the Cabinet,” Mr Littleproud told nation’s carbon footprint. ABC radio. “We need to consider every If Mr Chester is promoted, available technology,” the MP his replacement would be Aus- for the Queensland seat of tralia’s eighth veterans affairs Hinkler said. minister in seven years — a “Any reduction is better prospect Mr Morrison said was than no reduction.” not an issue when asked. Mr Pitt has also been push- “I don’t think the political ing for an end to the ban on

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