House committees changes signal broad-based coalition's headache

Parliament during a past sitting. House committee changes expose efforts to ensure regional balance. [File, Standard]

A fresh shake-up of the National Assembly committees has exposed the broad-based government’s headache of averting a fallout within the coalition ahead of the next General Election.

While the changes point to an attempt by the coalition leaders to tighten control over the parliamentary committees ahead of a politically volatile electioneering period, they also expose efforts to ensure regional balance in the composition of key House teams while addressing stakeholders’ political interests.