New Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has faced the media this afternoon to announce the reshuffled positions in his cabinet, revealing who will stay, who will get moved around, and who’s straight-up getting the arse.
The pre-announcement leaks began earlier in the day, with Bob Baldwin, former parliamentary secretary to the Environment Minister, taking to Facebook to reveal that he’d spoken to Turnbull on the phone, and his services are no longer required.
Kevin Andrews, who was widely tipped to be dumped as Defense Minister, chose to go out in a blaze of glory, pre-empting Turnbull’s press conference with a surprise one of his own to announce he’d been relieved of his portfolio.
Turnbull’s first call was to install Scott Morrison as Treasurer, replacing Tony Abbott‘s off-sider Joe Hockey. This move comes after he took a stab at Abbott’s grasp of the economy, telling media earlier this week that under his leadership:
“… you’ll have a Prime Minister at the centre of the economic debate, someone for whom economics and finance are bread and butter and who can stand with their Treasurer in the public square giving a good account of what we need to change and why we need to.”
This afternoon, Turnbull explained that Hockey was not seeking a place in the new ministry. George Brandis, who remains Attorney General, has been appointed Leader of the Government in the Senate.
Matthias Cormann remains Minister for Finance, and has been appointed Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate. Needless to say, Julie Bishop will also stay on as Foreign Minister.
Christopher Pyne has been announced as Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. Marise Payne has been elevated to Minister for Defense, making her the first woman in Australia to hold the position.
Michaela Cash will take on Abbott’s old role as Minister for Women, as well as the roles of Minister for Employment and Minister assisting the PM for the Public Service.
Kelly O’Dwyer takes the positions of Minister for Small Business and Assistant Treasurer, while Arthur Sinodinos has been appointed Cabinet Secretary, and Simon Birmingham made Minister for Education and Training, which now also includes child care.
Other portfolios include:
– Christian Porter: Minister for Social Services
– Mitch Fifield: Minister for Communication and Minister for the Arts
– Josh Frydenberg: Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia
– Jamie Briggs: Minister for Cities and the Built Environment
– Greg Hunt: Minister for the Environment
In case you missed it – a roundup of the #reshuffle that’s just been announced. http://t.co/13aIOnbhZl #auspol pic.twitter.com/6by4bV42Gf
— The Age (@theage) September 20, 2015
With Julie Bishop, Marise Payne, Michaela Cash, Kelly O’Dwyer and Susan Ley named in the reshuffle, today’s announcement has more than doubled the number of women in cabinet, from two to five.
The full list can be seen below, via ABC News:
Full ministry list here @abcnews @ABCNews24 pic.twitter.com/fSneBEQTdb
— Anna Henderson (@annajhenderson) September 20, 2015
via ABC News
Photo via Getty Images Pool
Photo via Getty Images Pool
