Hoping to heal the wounds caused by last week’s leadership spill and general chaos within the Liberal Party, new Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday announced his new cabinet, calling it the “next generation team” that he hopes will “restore stability to the Government”.
Malcolm Turnbull’s usurper and Mr Morrison’s challenger for the top job, Peter Dutton, has had his super-portfolio split. He’ll stay with Home Affairs, but Immigration has now been delegated to David Coleman. Mr Dutton will focus on cyber security, law enforcement, border protection and security.
After also vying for the seat as party leader, former deputy leader and foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop, was the first-round exit in the party leadership ballot with 11 votes. She has since quit her job as Minister for Foreign Affairs but will stay on as an MP.
MPs from all parties hailed Ms Bishop as a standout politician and person, with Mr Turnbull in particular saying “the country has just lost its finest foreign minister”.
While Mr Morrison said he “would have very much welcomed [Ms Bishop’s] continuing role in the ministry”, after accepting Ms Bishop’s resignation, he appointed Senator Marise Payne to the job on Ms Bishop’s recommendation.
Ms Payne, who was Australia’s first woman defence minister, is now the nation’s second female Foreign Minister.
Mr Morrison now faces the monumental task of restoring stability to his party and, perhaps more challenging, earning the trust of his constituents.
“This new Liberal-National team is a next-generation team,” said Mr Morrison.
“It is a team that are brought together to assure that we have the stability necessary, but in addition to that, begin the work of healing that is needed after these most recent events.”
Notable movements include:
- Alan Tudge will now run population and infrastructure policy.
- Melissa Price will take on Environment, after new Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s role was split. Angus Taylor now has the Energy part of that portfolio.
- Christopher Pyne will be the Defence Minister
- Steven Ciobo is Defence Industry Minister.
- Michaelia Cash has been given Small Business, Skills and Vocational Education.
- Former Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer will now run Jobs and Industrial Relations.
- Former small business minister Craig Laundy has resigned, as has Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, Keith Pitt.
- Barnaby Joyce will become special envoy for drought assistance and recovery.
- Malcolm Turnbull has quit Parliament.
- Although Mathias Cormann publicly supported Peter Dutton, he will remain as Finance Minister and the Leader of the Government in the Senate.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s first ministry
Michael McCormack, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.
Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Simon Birmingham, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
Mathias Cormann, Minister for Finance, Special Minister of State, Leader of the Government in the Senate
Josh Frydenberg, Treasurer
Kelly O’Dwyer, Minister for Women, Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations
Christopher Pyne, Minister for Defence
Steve Ciobo, Minister for Defence Industry
Darren Chester, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Minister for Defence Personnel, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
Christian Porter, Attorney-General
Peter Dutton, Minister for Home Affairs
David Coleman, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
Michaelia Cash, Minister for Small Business, Skills and Vocational Education
Matthew Canavan, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia
Mitch Fifield, Minister for Communications, Minister for the Arts
Greg Hunt, Minister for Health
Bridget McKenzie, Minister for Rural Health, Minister for Sport, Minister for Regional Communications
Dan Tehan, Minister for Education and Training
Michael Keenan, Minister for Human Services, Minister for Digital Transformation
Paul Fletcher, Minister for Families and Social Services
Melissa Price, Minister for the Environment
Angus Taylor, Minister for Energy
David Littleproud, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
Nigel Scullion, Minister for Indigenous Affairs
David Coleman, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
Alan Tudge, Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population
Outer Ministry
Anne Ruston, Assistant Minister for International Development
Linda Reynolds CSC, Assistant Minister for Home Affairs
Ken Wyatt, Minister for Aged Care, Minister for Indigenous Health
Sarah Henderson, Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services
Michelle Landry, Assistant Minister for Children and Families
Mark Coulton, Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
David Fawcett, Assistant Minister for Defence
Stuart Robert, Assistant Treasurer
Zed Seselja, Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance
Sussan Ley, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories
Andrew Broad, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister
Scott Buchholz, Assistant Minister for Roads and Transport
Steve Irons, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister
Read more at The Australian
What do you think of the new cabinet? Does this do anything to renew your faith in the party or politics in general?
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