Finally the business of government in NSW has begun with the announcement of the new ministry. Inevitably there are surprises and disappointments, but in the eyes of most voters, anything is better than another four years of Labor.

Barry O’Farrell is clearly leaving nothing to chance by exercising a high degree of control over politically sensitive areas, such as finance and environment. There is a good spread of old hands and new talent on the front bench. Even more pleasing from the Government’s perspective is that the landslide election result has delivered it control of the NSW Legislative Council, regardless of whether the Greens or Pauline Hanson win the last seat. This will make it difficult for the Greens to gain any traction with their parliamentary agenda.

The ministerial appointments herald a process of significant change which will gather pace over the next 100 days. This period is crucial in the life of a new government as it re-casts key positions inside the public service, makes new committee appointments, and implements its legislative agenda. Public servants, anxious to keep their jobs, will move quickly to serve their new political masters. Many fresh ideas which have spent several years sitting in the bottom drawers of bureaucrats will be dusted off and presented to new ministers.

Critical to this early phase will be public service reform. It was smart politics on the part of the new Premier to appoint former education head Michael Coutts-Trotter to the Finance and Services department. It was even smarter to announce that the public service would probably grow in size, in line with the need to provide services to an ever-increasing NSW population. For the time being, this has placated public service unions worried about downsizing and job losses in the sector.

From a Christian perspective, O’Farrell as made it clear that the churches can expect no special favours. None were expected anyway. However, it is incumbent upon the churches to use this new paradigm to raise up new voices, re-assess its political engagement, and take its place in the theatre of public debate with informed policy and sharp social critique informed by Biblical truth.