Burke, Dowding was made the minister for mines and the minister for fuel and energy. Dowding's inclusion in the ministry was a surprise, as he was the only one that was not part of Burke's shadow ministry. Dowding was replacing Mike Barnett, who did not nominate himself for the ministry due to family reasons. In 1983, the Department of Mines and the Department of Resource Development merged to form the Department of Minerals and Energy, following a report commissioned by the previous government that was critical of the interdepartmental conflicts which occurred. This necessitated a cabinet reshuffle. On 23 December 1983, Dowding became the minister for planning, the minister for employment and training, and the minister for consumer affairs. At a cabinet reshuffle on 20 December 1984, he relinquished being the minister for planning and he became the minister for industrial relations in addition to being the minister for employment and training, and the minister for consumer affairs. At the February 1986 state election, Dowding left his Legislative Council seat to contest the Legislative Assembly seat of Maylands in a move widely seen as a step towards becoming premier. Maylands was a safe seat for the Labor Party, and was held by the retiring John Harman. Dowding retained the seat for the Labor Party at the election, after which, he stopped being the minister for consumer affairs. In addition to his two prior ministries, he became the minister assisting the minister for public sector management from October 1986. He was given the responsibility of implementing the changes recommended in a parliamentary white paper, Managing change in the public sector, which included the public sector being more selective with choosing employees, attempting to retain graduates, and cutting back on staff in health. In his role as minister for employment and training, he embarked on a tour of Europe, where he developed an interest in Sweden's regulated economy. It was in Stockholm where he met his third wife. He convinced her to move to Australia, and in 1987, they married at the old Perth Observatory. His positions were renamed to the minister for productivity and employment, and the minister for labour in a March 1987 cabinet reshuffle. He also became the minister for works and services in that reshuffle. Premier After months of speculation, in December 1987, Burke announced his intention to resign as premier and from parliament on 25 February 1988.