Boost for conservatives as Turnbull resets his team

Malcolm Turnbull has promoted conservatives and regional MPs to the frontbench in a sweeping ministerial reshuffle.

Malcolm Turnbull announces his ministerial reshuffle yesterday. Picture: AAP

Malcolm Turnbull has promoted conservatives and regional MPs to the frontbench in a sweeping ­ministerial reshuffle that has sparked a fresh round of infighting within the Nationals, as the Prime ­Minister moves to reset the government’s priorities on national security and jobs.

Mr Turnbull elevated conservatives Peter Dutton, Mathias Cormann and Michaelia Cash into new super portfolios that oversee his government’s key issues for next year, headlined by job creation, tax cuts and security.

The new ministry, which will be sworn in today, included backbench bolters John McVeigh and David Littleproud, who were handed cabinet spots, increasing Queensland’s representation to five.

Mr Dutton will lead the new Home Affairs super department while Senator Cash takes charge of the jobs and innovation portfolio and gains a spot on cabinet’s expenditure review committee. Senator Cormann, the Finance Minister, adds Leader of the ­Government in the Senate and Special Minister of State to his responsibilities.

Outgoing attorney-general George Brandis, who will move to Britain next year to become Australia’s new high commissioner, is replaced by West Australian Liberal MP Christian Porter.

Victorian MP Dan Tehan moves into the social services portfolio to oversee the government’s welfare reforms, following pushback from country Liberals about a lack of representation at the cabinet table.

 

Mr McVeigh, the Toowoomba-based Liberal MP and former Queensland state minister, will serve as regional development and local government minister.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce faced fierce criticism within the Nationals yesterday after orchestrating the promotion of Mr Littleproud, a 41-year-old Queensland backbencher, to the agriculture portfolio ahead of more experienced colleagues.

Mr Joyce came under fire over his decision to dump infrastructure and transport minister Darren Chester from cabinet.

Malcolm Turnbull's new cabinet revealed.

Mr Joyce, who took Mr Chester’s portfolios in the reshuffle, demoted the Victorian MP to placate Liberal National Party concerns that Queensland would be under-represented at the cabinet table following the departure of Senator Brandis.

Mr Turnbull said the move against Mr Chester, who rejected Mr Joyce’s offer of an assistant ministry, was a decision the Nationals leader had made.

“The composition of the ­ministry has to take into account matters of geography as well,” Mr Turnbull said. “Plainly, the Nationals have a very large component of their partyroom from Queensland. Barnaby was keen to see that reflected in their representatives in the cabinet.”

Mr Chester said he was disappointed at his demotion, triggered by the election of a fellow Victorian, Bridget McKenzie, as Deputy Nationals Leader.

“Barnaby Joyce offered me an assistant minister role as they call them these days,” he said. “I chose to reflect on that overnight and advised both the PM and the Deputy PM I didn’t intend to take that offer.”

Nationals MPs said yesterday some colleagues were threatening to sit in the Liberal partyroom in a direct challenge to Mr Joyce’s leadership, while others revived talks of dividing the government by pushing for Queensland MPs to form their own breakaway group.

Senator McKenzie was handed the rural health and sport portfolios, as the Nationals retained five cabinet spots despite losing Fiona Nash, who was found ineligible to sit in parliament because she was a dual citizen.

The shake-up leaves Victoria with six cabinet seats while Queensland and Western Australia have five each. NSW has four seats, South Australia two and the Northern Territory one, for a total of 23.

There are five women in the Turnbull cabinet: Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Defence Minister Marise Payne, Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer, Senator Cash and Senator McKenzie.

Under the new Home Affairs ministry structure, Mr Dutton will be supported by NSW MP Angus Taylor and Victorian MP Alan Tudge, who will become the ministers for law enforcement, security and citizenship, and multicultural affairs.

Outgoing justice minister Michael Keenan, who oversaw the Australian Federal Police, has been promoted to cabinet, taking over from Mr Tudge in the human services portfolio.

The Department of Home Affairs is aimed at securing greater co-ordination between the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation, AFP, Australian Border Force, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre.

Despite ASIO being taken out of the Attorney-General’s department, Mr Porter will continue to sit on the national security committee of cabinet, to sign ASIO warrants, and have responsibility for the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and Independent National Security Legislation Monitor.