Ritchie resigns and Bartlett loses another minister

Updated October 31 2012 - 10:58pm, first published November 24 2008 - 3:10am
Resigned: Allison Ritchie
Resigned: Allison Ritchie

PLANNING and Workplace Relations Minister Allison Ritchie has resigned from State Cabinet due to ill health. Ms Ritchie, 34, had only been a cabinet minister for two months and went on sick leave late last month.Premier David Bartlett made the announcement a short while ago. He said he received Ms Ritchie's resignation letter this morning but would not reveal any details regarding her illness.Ms Ritchie has been off sick for the past month, and Infrastructure Minister Graeme Sturges has been acting planning minister.Mr Bartlett has been a strong supporter a cabinet size of nine ministers but would not speculate today on whether he would stick to the model when appointing a new minister.He said cabinet would meet over the next two days and an announcement would made as soon as possible.Ms Ritchie, the Legislative Council member for Penbroke, entered cabinet on September 17 in a reshuffle caused by Mr Bartlett's sacking of former Tourism Minister Paula Wriedt.Before entering Parliament, Ms Ritchie worked at Hobart computer company Management Technology and then for five years as an administrative officer with the Tasmanian Branch of the ALP.She was first elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council in May, 2001, and at the age of 26, became the youngest person ever elected to the Tasmanian Upper House. Ms Ritchie was re-elected to the seat of Pembroke for her second term in May, 2007. She is married to husband David Cowle and has a son Darcy.In the letter to Mr Bartlett, Ms Ritchie said was grateful for the experience to serve as a minister.``Unfortunately my recovery, and some additional personal issues, will take a longer period to resolve than originally anticipated,'' she said.Mr Bartlett said he was disappointed for Ms Ritchie, who had always aspired to be a minister.``She had made a good start and was showing promising signs of being a competent minister,'' he said.

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