BUNBURY MLA John Castrilli will step down as a state government minister following his re-election for a third term to take more of a focus on his city and family.
Mr Castrilli cited both family responsibilities and a desire to be at the coalface to watch important Bunbury projects come into fruition as reasons for his decision.
“I have enjoyed the experience and responsibility of being a state Government Minister for the past four years enormously, and this decision was not an easy one to make,” Mr Castrilli said.
“I’m proud of all that I have done but I want to put my family and Bunbury first, and for those reasons I have spoken to the Premier and let him know that I will not be seeking a reappointment in Cabinet.”
Unlike Ministers who reside in the Perth area, country Ministers face the burden of distance and are forced to spend long periods away from their home and family.
“As a Minister I’ve had to spend a lot of time in Perth and other areas of the State, and Loretta has been carrying the weight of the household and the family in Bunbury. We’ve had to spend a lot of time apart and she spends a lot of time on the road going back and forth.
“I have elderly parents who I need to spend more time with and grandchildren who’ve been born during my time as a Minister. I haven’t had much time over the past four years to spend with either.
“The ‘family’ of our Bunbury community is also vitally important to me. It has been fantastic to be in Cabinet over the past four years to help push through important Bunbury projects such as the Waterfront and the new government department. I now want to be able to be in Bunbury more to see the work start on the ground and continue working on future projects.”
Mr Castrilli thanked the Premier for the opportunity and privilege to serve as Minister for Local Government; Heritage, and Citizenship & Multicultural Interests over the past four years.
