The Premier of NSW, Chris Minns, sang the praises of Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin, at yesterday's media announcement following Ms Saffin's swearing in as the new Minister for the North Coast, Minister for Recovery and the Minister for Small Business.

"There's not many MPs in the New South Wales parliament with more experience. I don't think there's any with more experience than Janelle," the Premier said.

"I also can't think of an MP that's got more energy than Janelle Saffin. And the combination of those two things are fantastic, both for the people of New South Wales and our government."

"We know that the Northern Rivers has been hit hard in recent months, in recent years, with natural disasters, with floods, with real anxiety that the community has felt trying to get back on its feet in extraordinarily difficult circumstances, but throughout that entire period, there's been steady but relentless and energetic leadership from Jenelle Saffin, often with sharp elbows, often with a very forthright and persuasive argument, but always with the best interests of her community at heart.

"When we had a position that became vacant, the choice was just irresistible for the New South Wales Government, for myself, for my senior colleagues, when I did canvass people's thoughts within the government about who should fill this crucial position, it was near unanimous that it should be Janelle.

"She's got enormous respect from her colleagues inside the Labor Party and the government, but I think I can say, without fear of contradiction, also enormously respected across the parliament, from the opposition to the cross bench, she's what the state needs. And I'm very, very proud and happy to report that she'll be serving as a minister in this government."

(Janelle Saffin with Premier Chris Minns. Photo: supplied)

The accolades continued when Deputy Premier Prue Car stepped up to the microphone.

"It's been said time and time again, and the Premier said it, Janelle Saffin is the epitome of what an amazing local MP is, and that sort of relentless energy in a minister will be immediately noticeable in the portfolios that she has been sworn in to today, I can just already see her driving her agencies to make sure that they deliver for the people, particularly of the North Coast, that really have been through the ringer.

When it was Janelle Saffin's turn to talk, she remained as humble as people would expect and looking forward to the challenges ahead.

"I firstly want to say thank you to Premier Minns for putting his trust in me to continue to serve on a broader scale, the people of New South Wales in these three portfolio areas. They are three areas that I have experience and familiarity with and I'll bring some of that to bear in all of those areas.

"The North Coast, of course, I've worked all over the north coast. I live in the Northern Rivers, my home, and it goes out to the Great Dividing Range in the hinterland, and of course, I have Tenterfield in my electorate, so I'll continue to serve, first and foremost, as a local member, but serve the people of New South Wales across these three agencies.

"In my role as Parliamentary Secretary, I was able to visit New South Wales and meet a lot of communities who've been in disasters and impacted, and even people who were still impacted by the bush fires, and I've continued to work with them. I've got to know some of those communities equally with small business, particularly since 2022. One of the things that came out of it was the closeness with community at large and the small business sector, and that's prevailed ever since.

"I'm connected with my local business chambers, but equally with the New South Wales Business Chamber. I've read their pre-budget submission, I'm quite familiar with it and the particular issues they have, so I'm here, and I'm pleased I got asked that question, are you proud? I said, No, I'm pleased, but equally, I recognise it's a privilege, and it's a privilege that I will take very seriously. Thank you."

Ms Saffin said she her approach is about continuous improvement, so while nothing is perfect, she will continually strive to improve.

"I particularly want to focus on this trauma in my community, and given the events that happened in 2022, that's understandable, and it's right across the Northern Rivers, also the Central West and other places. So no matter what happened after it, the trauma prevails because of what happened on that night. Continue to support those people, but equally, working with business, our Northern Rivers Business Chambers, they have a small project on economic recovery. We're developing a master plan for the whole region that's done with the CSIRO, and then looking to particularly working to mitigate and adapt. And they're the areas that I want to focus on, because recovery is improved by preparedness."

When asked about Janelle Saffin's longevity as a Minister in the Minns Government with two years to run until the next election, the Premier responded, "I just want to make it really clear in relation to Janelle, looks can be deceiving, but there is not a tougher, more resilient MP in Parliament than Jenelle Saffin, and she's not going anywhere, and we need her. I mean, the government needs her experience and her energy."

There is no doubt that Ms Saffin has the energy of a 20-year-old.

There will be some keen business owners wanting a conversation with Ms Saffin in her role as Minister for Small Business when she returns from parliament in a couple of weeks, to ask why there was no small business grant after Tropical Cyclone Alfred.