Thwaites campaigned against the Kennett Government’s cuts to health and the privatisation of ambulance services. He used Freedom of Information documents to highlight long delays in hospital emergency departments and health budget cuts. (“Austin in patient crisis, says Labor”, The Age, 3 October 1996.) Thwaites also highlighted concerns about privatisation of ambulance dispatching to a private company, Intergraph, which the Auditor General found “at best involved serious mismanagement or, at worst, constituted corrupt activity”. (“State backs Intergraph reports bid”, The Age, 3 September 1999). The Intergraph affair and concerns about hospital privatisation and ambulance services were major issues in the 1999 state election. (“Selloffs the big difference” The Age 9 September 1999. “Ambulance scandal threatens Kennett” The Age 28 September 1999). Deputy Leader In September 1999 Bracks polled surprisingly well in the election, and three rural independent members gave Labor the opportunity to govern as a minority government. As Deputy Leader, Thwaites became Deputy Premier and was given the senior Health portfolio, with a mandate to increase funding to the public health system which had been the subject of cutbacks under the Liberal government. He was also Minister for Planning from 1999 to February 2002. Shortly after taking office, Thwaites cancelled the proposed privatisation of the Austin Hospital and announced plans for the government to rebuild the hospital with public funds. (“Labor to cancel Austin hospital privatisation” The Age 28 October 1999) (“Can the new government fix health? The Age 20 November 1999). Like all state health ministers, he had only limited success in reducing waiting lists at public hospitals, but did succeed in restoring the numbers of nurses. One of Thwaites first actions as Health Minister was to ban smoking in restaurants (“Butt out” Herald Sun 27 November 1999.) He later introduced legislation to ban smoking in gaming venues. (“Smokers butt out at pokies” Herald Sun 30 August 2002). As Planning Minister, Thwaites put controls on high-rise development around Port Phillip Bay and introduced a residential planning code, Rescode, to preserve neighbourhood character in planning decisions. (“Limits put on bayside high-rise” Herald Sun 14 December 1999.) He also initiated Melbourne 2030, a 30 year strategy plan for Melbourne. After the November 2002 state election, at which Labor was returned with a record majority, Thwaites was appointed Minister for Environment, Water and Victorian Communities. Thwaites’ term as Minister for Water coincided with the millennium drought in southeast Australia that put