Record For Women In Cabinet Equalled In Malcolm Turnbull’s Reshuffle

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has engaged in his latest ritualised bloodletting ceremony announced the new makeup of his political team during this weekend’s cabinet reshuffle. 

While the last re-tooling of the Coalition was spurred by the ascendant Turnbull and his need to fill the ranks with his own troops, this one’s largely come about through a series of unrelated happenings: notably, former Nationals leader Warren Truss‘ retirement catapulted Barnaby Joyce into leading the Nats – and into a plum gig as Deputy Prime Minister.


The power vacuum created by Australia’s pre-eminent puppy nemesis has also sucked Nats’ Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash into the party’s Deputy Leader role. As such, she’s also been plonked into cabinet as the Minister for Regional Development, and Minister for Regional Communications. She’s keeping her gig as Minister for Rural Health, too. 

Her appointment makes six women in the cabinet, up one from the previous team, and equals the number of women present in Kevin Rudd’s 2013 cabinet ranks. 


Nationals MP Darren Chester will also be filling the Infrastructure and Transport responsibilities vacated by Truss. Steve Ciobo is stepping up as Trade Minister following Andrew Robb’s resignation; Robb, who announced his shift from the role earlier, told 7.30 last week he intends to devote more of his time to the field of mental health. 

Elsewhere, other cabinet appointments have been less ceremonious. Mal Brough downed tools today following the lengthy saga around his diary-copying allegations; Dan Tehan is taking over as Minister for Defence Material and Minister for Veterans Services in his wake. Likewise, Alan Tudge is stepping up as Minister for Human Services after Stuart Roberts’ recent resignation.

Feel free to take score of all the changes below, before they’re all sworn in this Thursday: 

Source: ABC. 
Photo: Stefan Postles / Getty. 

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