Angry Nationals demand senior ministries after PM’s shake-up

Angst is brewing within Nationals ranks over Scott Morrison’s public service shake-up.

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce. Picture: Kym Smith

Angst is brewing within Nationals ranks over Scott Morrison’s public service shake-up, with calls for the junior Coalition partner to have three of its ministers lead departments from next year.

The creation of four mega departments has triggered confusion over who will be the senior minister with the final say on policy and departmental issues.

Scott Morrison announced on Thursday the public service’s 18 departments would be reduced to 14 from February 1.

“With 18 per cent of the partyroom, you’d expect the National Party should have three senior ministers. That’s how the numbers work,” former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce said. “Who would they be? That’s not my call.”

Nationals sources said if there was a dispute between different ministers within the one department, it was important a senior minister could make the ultimate decision.

Former public service commissioner John Lloyd said a big department having multiple ministers could be difficult, but ­acknowledged Mr Morrison’s emphasis on service delivery for the community was “excellent”.

“The department has to make sure it services each of the ministers effectively and that can be challenging. The ministers have various agendas. It therefore ­requires an excellent working relationship to develop between the ministers and the secretary and the senior officials,” Mr Lloyd said.

“The secretary and senior officials serve the ministers, so they have to make sure they do that ­effectively — unless the min­isters don’t get on well and there’s tensions that can cause complications.”

The four new super departments will be the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment; the Department of Education, Skills and Employment; the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources; and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

Within each department is a mixture of Liberal and Nationals cabinet ministers.

Asked who would be the senior minister in the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, the Prime Minister said: “The portfolio Minister for the Environment, which is Sussan Ley, is responsible for the environment and Bridget McKenzie, who is the Minister for Agriculture, will be responsible for agriculture policy and David Littleproud is responsible for water policy.

“It’s not uncommon for departments to have multiple ministers. They have multiple ministers now. And so the officials that work in these departments respond to the minister that is responsible for those portfolio issues.”

Ms Ley is a Liberal MP, while Senator McKenzie and Mr Littleproud are Nationals.

The Nationals have traditionally had prized departments, such as the Department of Agriculture, and the partyroom tells the leader which portfolios they are keen to hold after each election.

“Who’s the senior minister on environment? Well, it’s the Minister for the Environment,” Mr Morrison said.

“Who’s the senior minister on agriculture? It’s the Minister for Agriculture. It should be very plain.”

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack was consulted about Mr Morrison’s public service overhaul, as were all cabinet ministers. The Nationals hold 21 of the Coalition’s 112 seats and lost a cabinet portfolio after the election because the Liberals increased their representation. Agriculture was also split between deputy leader Senator McKenzie and Mr Littleproud, who holds water. Mr McCormack hit back at colleagues at the time, saying the ministry was a simple matter of arithmetic.