McCormack promotes key supporters in Nats reshuffle

Darren Chester, dumped by Barnaby Joyce in December, is the new Veteran’s Affairs Minister.

New Nationals leader Michael McCormack in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

Key supporters of new Nationals Leader Michael McCormack have been promoted to the frontbench in a minor reshuffle with dumped cabinet minister Darren Chester being elevated to the Veterans Affairs portfolio.

The Nationals cabinet team remains unchanged, ending speculation over the positions of Barnaby Joyce supporters including Resources Minister Matt Canavan, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion and Regional Health Minister Bridget McKenzie.

Mr McCormack, Australia’s new Deputy Prime Minister who was sworn in this week as Infrastructure and Transport Minister, takes Mr Joyce’s seat at the cabinet table after the former Nationals leader resigned amid growing scrutiny of his affair with former staffer Vikki Campion.

Queensland MP Keith Pitt, dumped from the frontbench by Mr Joyce in December’s reshuffle, will return to the ministry as the assistant minister to Mr McCormack while NSW MP Mark Coulton will join the frontbench as Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.

The changes knock Victorian MP Damian Drum and NSW MP Luke Hartsyuker out of the government’s frontbench line-up.

Mr Pitt, Mr Coulton and Mr Chester all declared support for Mr McCormack following Mr Joyce’s announcement last Friday he would resign the leadership following the lodging of a formal sexual harassment claim against him.

The minor frontbench changes were aimed at limiting a further hostilities in an already divided partyroom, with Nationals MPs split over Mr Joyce’s handling of the political crisis triggered by his affair with Ms Campion.

“Ultimately my focus was on maintaining stability so the government can get on with the job of delivering for the nation,” Mr McCormack said yesterday. “My appointment will be the only change to the Nationals’ cabinet team.”

Mr Chester, who knocked back an assistant ministry position after being dumped from cabinet in December by Mr Joyce who took his transport portfolio, will serve as Minister for Defence Personnel and Minister Assisting for the Centenary of Anzac in addition to Veterans Affairs. The Australian understands Mr Chester had indicated his preference to serve in the Veterans Affairs portfolio to Mr McCormack earlier in the week.

Mr Chester told ABC radio the position was a “senior role”, saying it was an area in which he had a “long personal interest”.

“I think Michael McCormack ... has taken the approach that we have a good, strong team in place and he needs to keep uniting our team going forward and get the focus on issues that matter in regional areas. “As of today, moving forward, we can’t be talking about ourselves,” Mr Chester said.

Mr Coulton said he was “obviously deeply honoured to be given an opportunity to serve in the ministry”.

“I look forward to catching up with Steven Ciobo, who will be my senior minister,’’ he said.