Oz Politics Blog

The winners

Let’s start from the outside and work our way up.

Malcolm Turnbull goes from the backbench to Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister with particular responsibility for water policy. I suspect the water policy Howard had in mind was to have Turnbull inside the tent, pissing out; rather than outside the tent, pissing in.

Andrew Robb has been promoted from the backbench to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.

Bob Baldwin has been promoted from the backbench to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources

Senator Santo Santoro has been promoted from the backbench (ahead of Robb and Turnbull) to the outer ministry as the new Minister for Ageing.

Bruce Billson joins the outer ministry as Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence. He was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs.

Sharman Stone goes from Parliamentary Secretary (Finance) to the outer ministry as Minister for Workforce Participation.

Gary Nairn (Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister) will join the outer ministry as Special Minister of State.

Mal Brough has been promoted from the outer ministry (Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer) to Cabinet and the expanded portfolio of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Julie Bishop has been promoted from the outer ministry (Minister for Ageing) to Cabinet as Minister for Education, Science and Training. She will also become Minister assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues.

Senator Nick Minchin – keeps Finance and Administration – now Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Senator Helen Coonan – keeps Communications, Information Technology and the Arts – now Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate.

The losers

Warren Entsch has been stood down as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources.

Senator Ian Macdonald has been stood down as Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation.

Senator Kay Patterson has (been) retired as the Minister for Family and Community Services.

De-Anne Kelly has been demoted from the outer ministry (Veterans’ Affairs) to the Parliamentary Secretary for Trade.

The National Party lost one position in the outer ministry with Kelly’s demotion. This reflects the Nationals representation in Parliament, following the defection of Julian McGauran.

Addendum: Capable Costello supporters, George Brandis, Christopher Pyne, Bruce Baird, and Tony Smith were passed over when it came to the promotions. (Although Brough and Bishop have also been reported as Costello supporters, and they were big winners in this reshuffle).

Swings and roundabouts

While Senator Hill has left the ministry, he cannot be called a loser. After an appropriately discrete break, the hot gossip is that he will be appointed as the Ambassador to the United Nations.

Although Senator Vanstone lost Indigenous Affairs, she remains in Cabinet with Immigration and Multicultural Affairs – when the Ministry list is released, she may even have moved up a spot in terms of Cabinet seniority.

Brendan Nelson moves from Education, Science and Training to Defence. Some have called this a promotion, but I think the Defence behemoth has a touch of the poisoned chalice about it.

John Cobb will become Minister for Community Services. He was Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs.

Peter Dutton (Minister for Workforce Participation) becomes the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer. Some might argue this is a promotion within the outer ministry.

Eric Abetz (Special Minister of State) will become Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation. There is still no Tasmanian in Cabinet!

Richard Colbeck will become Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration. He was Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Sussan Ley will become Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. She was Parliamentary Secretary for Children and Youth Affairs.

Teresa Gambaro will become Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs. She was Parliamentary Secretary for Defence.

Senator Sandy Macdonald will become Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence. He was Parliamentary Secretary for Trade.

Next steps

This is a substantial reshuffle, so I think we can expect an “I intend to stay on as party leader” statement from Howard any time soon.

It will be interesting to see whether any Departmental Secretaries change with the new arrangements.