Annastacia Palaszczuk has sworn several ministers into new portfolios. (ABC News: Chris Gillette)
Changes have been made to Queensland's cabinet amid ongoing criticism of the government's handling of youth crime, housing and health issues in the state.
The biggest changes involve those respective portfolios – with Yvette D'Ath, Leanne Linard and Leeanne Enoch all reassigned to new portfolios.
Health will go to Shannon Fentiman in a direct portfolio swap with Ms D'Ath, who returns to her previous position as attorney-general.
Ms Fentiman will also become the minister for mental health and remains the minister for women.
Ms D'Ath also takes on Ms Fentiman's previous portfolio of minister for prevention of domestic and family violence.
Di Farmer, who was youth justice minister until 2020, returns to the role and also remains in charge of employment and small business as well as training and skills development.
The state's youngest minister, Meaghan Scanlon, has been promoted with the 30-year-old taking over the housing portfolio from Ms Enoch.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Governor Jeannette Young with the newly sworn-in members of the state's reshuffled cabinet. (AAP: Darren England)
Ms Enoch will shift her attention to the state's treaty process, taking the portfolio's of treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partnerships, while remaining the minister for communities and arts.
This will be the first time an Indigenous woman is the minister of First Nation's partnerships.
Ms Linard will take over the environment portfolio from Ms Scanlon and also become the minister for science and multicultural affairs.
Mark Bailey will add the digital economy to his to list of responsibilities, which includes the transport and main roads portfolio.
Craig Crawford, who was previously the minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partnerships, takes over child safety from Ms Linard.
He also remains minister for seniors and disability services.
A needed 'reset'
Ms Palaszczuk said the changes are a response to Queenslanders' recent concerns about housing, health and youth justice.
"This is exactly the reset the government has needed," she said.
Ms Palaszczuk dodged questions about Ms D'Ath's performance in her role as health minister but said the state needed to be more responsive to health issues.
"Yvette D'Ath was an incredible attorney-general in our state, very well regarded, and it is my view that she is better suited to that role," she said.
"Health is a big role and Yvette D'Ath helped us steer the state through the COVID pandemic – that is a huge achievement.
"It is my view that Shannon Fentiman is the best person to be the health minister and Yvette D'Ath is the best person to be the state's attorney-general."
Ms D'Ath rebuked arguments that her reassignment was a demotion.
"I don't accept that argument at all," she said.
"A lot said [health] was the poison chalice when I went in – not at all. I was thrilled with the opportunity.
"I believe I am appointed as attorney-general on merit. I was six years as attorney general."
Ms Fentiman acknowledged the health portfolio would be challenging – and called it a "huge job".
"Health is the biggest service delivery portfolio in government but … you don't do these very hard jobs unless you want to make a difference," she said.
She said a top priority in her new role would be ensuring women have access to health services close to their homes, and flagged mental health as a key focus.
Ms Palaszczuk said Ms Enoch had also taken on an "incredible responsibility".
"As the first Indigenous woman in our cabinet there is no better person to be the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander portfolio," she said.
Ms Palaszczuk conceded her government needed to do better and that the departments needed to stop "working in silos".
"We need to respond faster to issues, we need to be collectively working together," she said.
"I've given a very clear message to the director-general [of government departments] that they need to work together."
"If they're not sacking these ministers then no-one is being held accountable for the mistakes of this government," he said.
In a statement, the premier said she has "listened and acted" on what Queenslanders want in shaping a "better and fairer" future.
"I'm firmly focused on the future. And I'm firmly focused on the key issues affecting Queenslanders."
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Yvette D'Ath — Attorney General and Minister for Justice (new), Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence (new)
Shannon Fentiman — Health and Ambulance Services (new), Mental Health (new), Women (existing)
Meaghan Scanlon — Housing (new)
Di Farmer — Youth Justice (new), Employment and Small Business (existing), Training and Skills Development (existing)
Leeanne Enoch — Treaty (new), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships (new), Communities (formerly Communities and Housing), the Arts (existing)
Leanne Linard — Environment and the Great Barrier Reef (new), Science (new), Multicultural Affairs (existing)
Mark Bailey — Digital Services (new), Transport and Main Roads (existing)
She wasn't at the earlier press event — she says she didn't know it was happening, but she's here now.
The outgoing health minister says she looks forward to returning to her former role.
"I've been very, very fortunate that the portfolios I've held since coming into government in 2015, every one of them I have enjoyed," she says.
"There's a lot of work to be done in health and I have no doubt Minister Fentiman will do a great job."
Di Farmer is taking back the youth justice portfolio after three years — she's taking over from Leanne Linard.
Most recently she's been the Minister for Employment and Small Business and Training and Skills Development. She's keeping those portfolios for now.
She says she feels "incredibly honoured" to be asked to resume the youth justice portfolio.
When she was Minister for Youth Justice previously, child safety also fell under her portfolio, but that's now being taken care of by Craig Crawford.
Meaghan Scanlon, who was previously the youth affairs minister, has been moved to the "new standalone priority portfolio" of housing.
Lots of people have been asking who takes over youth affairs — the Premier just said that portfolio will be "absorbed into communities", which is held by Leeanne Enoch, but that Meaghan Scanlon (the state's youngest minister) will continue to be "a very strong advocate" for young Queenslanders even in her new role.
She hasn't given any further details on this yet.
The Premier has just been asked this. Here's what she said:
"Yvette was an incredible attorney general in our state, very well-regarded, and it is my view that she is better suited to that role.
"Health is a big job. Yvette D'Ath helped us steer the state through the COVID pandemic, that is a huge achievement, but the health portfolio is huge and we need to be more responsive.
"I want fresh eyes and I want fresh energy, it is my decision about where ministers go. It is my view that Shannon Fentiman is the best person to be health minister and it is my view that Yvette D'Ath is the best person to be the state's attorney general."
The Premier is speaking now — she says health, housing and youth justice are the key areas Queenslanders have been calling for more focus on.
"This is exactly the reset this government has needed," she says.
"I've been listening out there in the community and we need to do better ... we need to respond better to the public."
Is Enoch keeping Arts? The smaller parts of her portfolio aren’t mentioned anywhere. — Julie
She certainly is. Leeanne Enoch now holds four portfolios — Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts.
Who will get environment? — Hayes
Leanne Linard takes over the portfolio of Environment and the Great Barrier Reef — which was held by Meaghan Scanlon — she also becomes the Minister for Science and retains the Multicultural Affairs portfolio.
Governor Jeannette Young — who, of course, was formerly Queensland's Chief Health Officer — has sworn in the new ministers alongside Annastacia Palaszczuk.
"I congratulate each of the ministers on their appointment and wish that their endeavours for the progress and advancement of the state will be successful," she said.
The Premier said in a statement she has "a critical focus on shaping a better and fairer Queensland".
"Our government cares about Queenslanders and what they're thinking — I have listened, and I have acted," she said.
"I am firmly focussed on the future and I'm firmly focussed on the key issues affecting Queenslanders, as my government is.
"That's why I have refreshed the government by refreshing the cabinet and today marks a new beginning."
Shannon Fentiman becomes Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Mental Health and Women
Meaghan Scanlon becomes Minister for Housing
Leeanne Enoch becomes Minister for Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts
Di Farmer becomes Minister for Youth Justice, a portfolio she has held previously (she's also the Minister for Employment and Small Business and Training and Skills Development)
Yvette D'Ath returns to the role of Attorney General and Minister for Justice, as well as Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence
Mark Bailey takes on the portfolio of Minister for Digital Services in addition to Transport and Main Roads
Craig Crawford is the Minister for Child Safety and Seniors and Disability Services
Leanne Linard becomes Minister for the Environment and Great Barrier Reef, Science and Multicultural Affairs
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