New Minister Chris Steel and Chief Minister Andrew Barr at Wednesday’s announcement. Photo: Chris Steel Facebook.
Labor MLA for Murrumbidgee Chris Steel will become the eighth Minister for the ACT Government.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who announced on Tuesday that a growing ACT needed an extra minister, said Mr Steel was the only nominee for the position.
His portfolios will be announced in a Cabinet reshuffle on Friday (24 August).
“Mr Steel has lived in Woden and Kambah for over 25 years and is a strong advocate for his electorate of Murrumbidgee in the ACT Legislative Assembly. I welcome Mr Steel to the Ministry and I look forward to working with him on the Government’s plan for a connected, inclusive and progressive city,” Mr Barr said.
Mr Steel said he would be another strong voice for the Southside in the Cabinet and for all Canberrans.
“I am grateful to my caucus colleagues for their support. We have a strong and stable Labor team in the ACT Assembly and I look forward to making a contribution in Cabinet and working with them to deliver better services for our growing city,” he said.
“As a Member for Murrumbidgee, I have spent the last two years talking to residents and community groups on the Southside, supporting over a thousand of my constituents directly with their issues since being elected.
“Regardless of my election to the Ministry today, I intend to maintain my regular mobile offices at local shops and my other community engagement activities in my electorate.
“I am looking forward to making a contribution in Cabinet across many areas – including the areas that I advocated for as a backbencher – the regeneration of Woden Town Centre and our local shopping centres, delivering better local health care services (including a new nurse-led walk-in centre for Weston Creek region), even better city services for our suburbs and the infrastructure that is needed as Molonglo continues to grow.”
Mr Steel, 32, holds law and arts degrees from the ANU and has been a policy adviser to several federal Labor MPs and ACT MLAs.
Before being elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2016, he was Policy and Research Manager at Early Childhood Australia.
In the Assembly, Mr Steel sits on several committees, chairing the Health, Ageing and Community Services committee, and is the caucus secretary.
He lists his interests as football (soccer), education policy, politics, reading, and gaming.
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