Peter Dutton may be reinstalled on NSC, says Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull may consider reinstalling Peter Dutton on the national security committee of cabinet.

Malcolm Turnbull stripped Peter Dutton of his permanent position on the peak national security body.

Malcolm Turnbull may consider reinstalling Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton on the national security committee of cabinet, arguing his ministerial arrangements were not set “in stone”.

Labor has accused the new Prime Minister of pursuing “vendettas and revenge” by stripping Mr Dutton of his permanent position on the peak national security body.

Asked to explain the decision today, Mr Turnbull denied it was a question of “status” and argued immigration and border protection ministers were typically co-opted onto the committee as required.

“Ministers have got to get on with their day jobs. You clearly want to ensure that no minister is in a committee taking up his or her very valuable time on matters that are not directly relevant to them,” he told Sky News, adding he was co-opted onto the committee as communications minister to address matters of telecommunications security.

“This is not an issue of status. We have a national security committee that is very close to the arrangements that worked so well during John Howard’s time as prime minister.”

However Mr Turnbull kept open the option of restoring the minister to the NSC.

“None of this has been written in stone, but I’d rather start off with the NSC being leaner to begin with and if we have to change the permanent membership we can do so.”

Mr Turnbull said he was eager to replicate the “solid, traditional, business-like” structure of the Howard era, anointing Mr Howard’s former chief of staff Arthur Sinodinos as cabinet secretary.

Mr Dutton said: “My job will be to contribute to national security committee when there are issues in my area of responsibility, so I don’t think there’s any news in that.

“The prime minister is keen to try and cut the numbers on these committees down whenever it’s possible and my job is to be able to provide information when it’s required.”

Mr Turnbull’s national security committee is a mirror image of that which operated during the first, second and fourth terms of Mr Howard’s 11-year reign.