THE Chief Minister has moved to defend a ministerial colleague who acts as his deputy following an admission that a busy departmental workload had created challenges in carrying out the role.
Health Minister Tom Binet was asked about his work as Deputy Chief Minister during a hearing with the Common Strategic Policy Review Panel, conceding that it wasn’t easy to combine the two roles.
Deputy Binet said: “I don’t mind confessing – because Health is such a broad portfolio, and it was riven with so many difficulties when we took office [in January 2024] that most of my focus has been on health and health-related issues.
“[This was] possibly to the detriment of being as involved as I would normally like to have been in the Deputy Chief Minister role, had I had a slightly easier portfolio to deal with – I don’t mind making that point absolutely openly.”
Following the hearing, and a Scrutiny press release stating that Deputy Binet had said he was “unable to fulfil his role as Deputy Chief Minister for the past two years due to workload pressures within the Health Department”, Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham moved to set the record straight.
He said: “The recent scrutiny release misrepresented Deputy Binet’s position – while he would welcome the opportunity to dedicate additional time to his responsibilities as Deputy Chief Minister, he continues to carry out the role effectively, and there are no concerns regarding his performance.”
The Chief Minister added: “Deputy Binet is doing a first-class job as Health Minister, a critical portfolio that demands significant time, energy, and focus – his leadership in this area is both commendable and essential.
“The role of Deputy Chief Minister is a supportive one, and Deputy Binet fulfils it with dedication and effectiveness – his commitment to both roles is greatly appreciated, and his contributions are highly valued.”
