Barnaby Joyce promotes Bridget McKenzie and Andrew Gee in Nationals reshuffle

Australia has its eighth Veterans Affairs Minister in as many years with Barnaby Joyce rewarding his supporters as new Nationals leader.

Australia has its eighth Veterans Affairs Minister in as many years with NSW Nationals MP Andrew Gee moving into cabinet as Barnaby Joyce rewards those who supported his return to the leadership.

On the eve of a Royal Commission into the shocking rate of veteran suicides, Mr Joyce said he believed the Calare MP and former regional barrister “has the capacity to go through all the nuances” of the complex issue and would do an “exceptional job”.

Andrew Gee has been promoted to Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has been promoted back into cabinet. Picture: Sam Mooy/Getty Images

“The big issues that are pertinent to that Royal Commission are actually vastly more important than any minister,” Mr Joyce said.

“We’re talking about hundreds of people taking their lives.”

Victorian Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie was the other big winner in the reshuffle announced by Mr Joyce on Sunday, during which supporters of former leader Michael McCormack were dumped from their roles.

Ms McKenzie will return to cabinet as Emergency Management and Drought Minister, as well as Regionalisation, Regional Communication and Regional Education Minister, almost 18-months after she quit the front bench over the sports grants scandal.

The major shake-up included a demotion for Resources and Water Minister Keith Pitt, who keeps his portfolios but will move out of the cabinet.

This will be the first time resources have not been in the cabinet since 2016.

Victorian MP Darren Chester will move to the backbench after losing the veterans affairs portfolio.

Mr McCormack was not promoted, and his supporter Parkes MP Mark Coulton has also lost the local government and regional health portfolios.

Resources and Water Minister Keith Pitt keeps his portfolios but moves out of cabinet, while Michelle Landry retains her outer ministry role as assistant minister for children and families.

Deputy Nationals leader David Littleproud will stay in cabinet and add Northern Australia to his Agriculture role.

First term Nationals senator Susan McDonald will become a special envoy for Northern Australia.

In the outer ministry, NSW Nationals MP David Gillespie has been promoted to Regional Health Minister.

Nationals MPs Kevin Hogan and Michelle Landry also retained their front bench positions, with Mr Hogan taking assistant minister for local government as well as assistant minister to the deputy prime minister.

Mr Joyce will retain the Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development portfolio, which he assumed from Mr McCormack after winning the Nationals leadership ballot.

Mr Joyce said a key priority for him in the role would be to “get moving” on projects like the delay-plagued Dungowan Dam in regional NSW and inland rail.

“These projects, we will try our very best to expedite,” he said.

Deputy Leader of the Nationals David Littleproud, newly-elected Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce and Leader of the Nationals in the Senate Bridget McKenzie form the party’s core leadership team. Picture AAP Image/Lukas Coch

In a statement Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he and Mr Joyce would continue the “successful and enduring partnership” between the Nationals and the Liberal Party.

“Our focus remains on two outcomes – protecting lives and protecting livelihoods, as we continue to combat COVID-19 and build on the economic recovery,” he said.

Mr Morrison said the changes meant his cabinet had the “strongest female representation” of any “on record”.

“However, it is not just about the size of the female contingent in my cabinet but the skills and the experience they all bring to help us solve our nation’s challenges,” he said.

Mr Morrison thanked Mr McCormack for his “selfless and dedicated service” to Australia.

It is expected the new Minister will be sworn into their roles on Friday.