Cabinet reshuffle: Malcolm Turnbull unveils new team for 2018
MALCOLM Turnbull has unveiled his new leadership team for 2018, announcing big promotions for Michaelia Cash, Peter Dutton, Bridget McKenzie and Christian Porter.
National
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MICHAELIA Cash has been given a major promotion in Malcolm Turnbull’s cabinet reshuffle just weeks after her office was embroiled in a scandal over tipping off the media to an AFP raid.
The Prime Minister announced this afternoon that Senator Cash would become the Minister for Jobs and Innovation — one of two new super ministries to be formed for 2018.
Current Immigration Minister Peter Dutton will head up the other super ministry, the new Home Affairs department which will oversee Australia’s intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
Several other Coalition MPs have received big promotions in the major cabinet reshuffle, including Christian Porter, Bridget McKenzie, Craig Laundy, first term MPs David Littleproud and John McVeigh, Dan Tehan and Michael Keenan.
Alan Tudge has been moved sideways to become Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs after overseeing a crackdown on welfare recipients and the controversial Centrelink robo-debt collection scheme as Human Services Minister.
And Nationals MP Darren Chester has been dropped from the leadership team entirely, along with Keith Pitt.
Senator Cash has been credited with securing some big wins for the Turnbull Government on industrial relations legislation this year, negotiating enough support from the volatile crossbench to secure them.
But she has also been caught up in a number of scandals.
In October, her media adviser David De Garis resigned after admitting to tipping off media about an Australian Federal Police raid on the Australian Workers’ Union offices in Melbourne and Sydney.
Earlier in the year, Senator Cash came under fire when the head of the Australian Building and Construction Commission Nigel Hadgkiss admitted to breaching the Fair Work Act.
In her new role, Senator Cash will be charged with delivering more jobs and job opportunities for Australians.
“She will be a key part of our economic team, working to deliver on our commitment of more jobs, more investment, stronger economic growth,” Mr Turnbull said.
“That’s our priority for 2018 — more investment, more jobs, better jobs, more money in the pockets of hardworking Australian families and businesses.”
Senator Cash will have responsibility for all aspects of her portfolio but Craig Laundy, who has been promoted to Minister for Small and Family Business, Workplaces and Deregulation, will take over the primary responsibility for workplace relations.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten slammed the Prime Minister’s decision to promote Senator Cash after the AFP raid tip-off.
Rising star Christian Porter has been appointed the new Attorney-General in Mr Turnbull’s cabinet reshuffle.
Mr Porter — once on a list of Cleo magazine’s eligible bachelors of the year and previously the Social Services Minister — will replace George Brandis, who is retiring to become Australia’s top diplomat in Britain.
Brandis will take over from Alexander Downer who has been Australia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom since 2014.
Victorian Nationals MP Bridget McKenzie — who has never held a ministerial position — rockets straight onto the frontbench as Minister for Sport, Rural Health and Regional Communications.
Ms McKenzie’s promotion comes after she was picked by her colleagues to become the new Nationals deputy leader when Fiona Nash was ruled ineligible to sit in Parliament by the High Court in the citizenship saga.
Newly re-elected Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce will leave Agriculture and Water and take on Mr Chester’s portfolios of Infrastructure and Transport.
Mr Chester said he was disappointed to have missed out in the cabinet reshuffle today but made it clear Mr Joyce had ultimately decided his fate.
He vowed to be in parliament for “many, many more years to come” and said his loyalty to the leadership team had never been in question.
“I wouldn’t describe it as a shock. I’m disappointed,” he said.
“Anyone would be disappointed to lose their position they’ve been particularly passionate about.”
CONSERVATIVES WIN BIG
A number of key conservatives within the Coalition have received significant promotions but those driving the push for same-sex marriage have been largely ignored in the reshuffle.
Mr Dutton and Mr Porter are the most senior appointments, taking on powerful roles in the new Turnbull Cabinet.
Queensland MP David Littleproud, who was only elected in 2016 for the first time, has also received a massive promotion to the frontbench, taking up the Agriculture and Water portfolios from Mr Joyce.
Mr Laundy has also been given a significant promotion, while Angus Taylor has been upgraded from Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital transformation to Minister for Law Enforcement and Cyber Security, a role which will support Mr Dutton in Home Affairs.
ACT senator Zed Seselja has been shifted from Multicultural Affairs to become the Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation.
Liberal Senator Dean Smith and MPs Tim Wilson, Trevor Evans and Trent Zimmerman, who pushed for same-sex marriage, did not receive a promotion in the reshuffle.
KEY APPOINTMENTS
Michael Keenan and Dan Tehan are among other big winners in the reshuffle today.
Mr Keenan was promoted from Justice Minister to Human Services and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation.
Mr Tehan will leave Veterans Affairs and take over from Mr Porter as Minister for Social Services.
Newcomer John McVeigh is another big winner.
The former Queensland state MP will join cabinet as the Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government after only being elected to federal parliament in 2016 and never holding an outer ministry position.
NSW National David Gillespie will become the Assistant Minister for Children and Families, regional WA Liberal MP Melissa Price will join the ministry as Assistant Minister for the Environment and former Small Business Minister Michael McCormack will become the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel.
Former Fremantle Dockers’ coach turned Nationals MP Damian Drum, currently the chief Nationals whip, will join the ministry as Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister.
And Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer will receive extra responsibilities as Minister for Women, taking up the role from Senator Cash.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann will take over from Scott Ryan as Special Minister of State, and will retain his current duties.
He will also be promoted to the Leader of the Senate following Brandis’ retirement.
Senator Ryan left the role to be the new Senate President following Stephen Parry’s departure in the citizenship saga.
Arthur Sinodinos, who is currently on leave fighting cancer, will not return to Cabinet next year.
Senator Sinodinos said his prognosis was excellent but his focus in coming months must be to complete his treatment and regain full health.
“I will however continue to discharge my responsibilities as Senator for NSW, a position I am proud to hold,” he said today.
The cabinet reshuffle comes fresh off the back of wins in the Bennelong and New England by-elections and parliament legalising same-sex marriage in Australia.
It also comes after a long year where the government was plagued by the citizenship saga, a string of bad polls and infighting, led by outspoken former prime minister Tony Abbott.
Mr Turnbull was also forced into a major backflip on a Royal Commission into the banks in recent weeks after internal revolt from the Nationals backbench.
Brandis’ departure from the Senate will also spark a battle for his seat in the upper house where he has represented Queensland for 17 years.
His replacement will be the 14th new senator to enter the parliament since the 2016 election after a string of members quit or were ousted in the citizenship saga.
It brings the amount of upper house members who weren’t the public’s first choice to more than 18 per cent.
Originally published as Cabinet reshuffle: Malcolm Turnbull unveils new team for 2018