Tasmania's next Health Minister to soon be named

The move fitted in well to the government's narrative of change this week, which started with an announcement on Sunday that there would be no forced council amalgamations as part of local government reform.

Then councils were hit with the news that some planning decisions would be seized from them and put before independent development assessment panels in accordance with the wishes of a developer.

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Mr Rockliff, during a Committee for Economic Development of Australia state of the state address on Thursday, said the government had been derailed in recent times by the defection of two Liberal backbenchers and relentless debate over the Hobart waterfront stadium.

He said he was committed to bringing the Liberals back on track and somewhat resetting the government's agenda.

A fifth cabinet reshuffle in two years should do the trick, right?

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Mr Rockliff has faced ongoing criticism for being a part-time Health Minister from the opposition parties due to his broad workload as premier.

However, it has to be said there have not been too many loud voices of resistance within the sector against him retaining the portfolio after taking the Liberal Party leadership.

After the announcement that a new Health Minister would be named from the current cabinet, the Health and Community Services Union quickly came out to oppose Michael Ferguson returning to the portfolio he held for what seemed like a troublesome five years.

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This is unlikely, though, as a reappointment of Mr Ferguson to health would be viewed as a backwards step for a government that needs reinvigoration.

Elise Archer sits comfortably with the corrections, justice and arts portfolios and would likely refuse to take on the poison chalice of health.

Guy Barnett was recently rumoured to be in the gun for the health portfolio, which will remove him from the energy portfolio he has held for a long time, giving it a chance for fresh leadership and a new direction.

Roger Jaensch is also a possible candidate for Health Minister, having already overseen the big portfolios of human services and education.

Nic Street is also an outside chance, given his consultative nature and ability to be upfront with any mistakes or failings.

Mr Rockliff's resignation might also allow him to quietly remove Madeleine Ogilvie from the racing portfolio or reconsider Felix Ellis' ministerial responsibilities, which he is copping some heat over in recent months.

Mr Rockliff has said the imminent cabinet reshuffle will be small - an unsurprising statement given it is made up of just nine members anyway, two of which have been health minister once before and one of which serves in the upper house with several ministerial responsibilities already.

Whatever the changes are, this will be the team to fight for the Liberals' re-election when that time comes.

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