Prime Minister Scott Morrison And The New Cabinet
THE NEW MORRISON GOVERNMENT
The buzz in Canberra over the weekend was unavoidable for most Australians. Friday produced a new Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, and Sunday saw the formation of what most are calling a ‘next-generation’ Cabinet.
Scott Morrison, or as he is more affectionately known ‘ScoMo’, ascends to the role of Prime Minister from his previous role as Treasurer, following in the footsteps of John Howard and Paul Keating as Treasurers turned Prime Ministers. Morrison has previously cut his teeth on the tough Immigration portfolio, and before being elected, was the State Director of the NSW Liberal Party. Many are looking to Morrison to unite the wings of the Liberal Party after last weekend’s events, and many are optimistic given his experience.
Joining the new Prime Minister in the leadership team as Deputy Liberal Leader is Josh Frydenberg, the Member for Kooyong and former Minister for Energy and the Environment. Frydenberg moves from the problematic Energy and Environment portfolio and ascends to the helm of the Treasurer. On Saturday, Frydenberg sought a coffee with former Liberal Treasurer Peter Costello in their hometown of Melbourne to discuss his new role.
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and former Foreign Minister and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party Julie Bishop will be sorely missed. Turnbull listed his main achievements as passing same-sex marriage, creating the national redress scheme for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and increased spending on military assets. Following her resignation, Turnbull described Bishop as “Australia’s finest foreign affairs minister”. Bishop has also been an instrumental figure in the Liberal Party and a trailblazer for women as Australia's first female Foreign Minister.
PremierNational would like to pay tribute to both Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop for their service to the people of Australia, and welcome the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to their new roles.
Following Friday’s new-look leadership, Morrison unveiled what he is calling his ‘next-generation’ team.
Morrison’s first Cabinet contains six women, up from the previous five, but with the loss of Julie Bishop, who not only resigned as Deputy Liberal Leader but also as her role as Foreign Affairs Minister. Bishop’s former ministry has been handed to another female Cabinet member – former Defence Minister and close Turnbull ally, Marise Payne. Meanwhile the Defence ministry has been handed to Christopher Pyne, and former Trade Minister Steve Ciobo has inherited the Defence Industry portfolio from Pyne.
Peter Dutton has been returned as Home Affairs Minister, however with a watered down role. Immigration has been removed from Home Affairs, and given to NSW MP David Coleman, as Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. Mathias Cormann holds onto the role of Minister for Finance, gaining ‘the Public Services’ to his responsibilities, and Victorian MP Greg Hunt stays as Minister for Health. Close ally of Morrison, Alex Hawke has been given the role of Special Minister of State.
The biggest policy split has been the breakup of the Energy and Environment portfolio. The Environment portfolio has been given to Melissa Price, who has held the Western Australian seat of Durack for five years and was formerly the Assistant Minister for Energy and the Environment under Frydenberg. Stepping into the role of Energy Minister is Angus Taylor, who has a difficult task of lowering electricity prices ahead of him.
Mitch Fifield has remained in the Communications and the Arts portfolio, and similarly, Attorney-General Christian Porter has kept his previous portfolio responsibility. Kelly O’Dwyer has inherited the Jobs portfolio from Michaelia Cash in addition to Industrial Relations and Women. Cash is now the Minister for Small and Family Business, following Craig Laundy’s decision not to remain in the ministry, and she has also added Skills and Vocational Education to her remit.
Simon Birmingham, the former Minister for Education, has been made the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, working with the new Foreign Minister. While Dan Tehan has taken on Birmingham’s old portfolio – Education.
Former Cities and Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher has been promoted to Cabinet as the Minister for Families and Social Services. Another new face to the Cabinet line-up is Queensland MP Karen Andrews who is the new Minister for Industry, Science and Technology.
Michael Keenan has been dropped from Cabinet but remains the Minister for Human Services and Digital Transformation. Alan Tudge takes on Fletcher's former portfolio of Cities and Urban Infrastructure, but with the addition of 'population' as a policy concern. Morrison described this as the busting congestion portfolio.
Outside of the Cabinet a number of fresh female faces have taken up roles:
Sarah Henderson (Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services);
Michelle Landry (Assistant Minister for Children and Families);
Linda Reynolds (Assistant Minister for Home Affairs); and,
Anne Ruston (Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific).
Sussan Ley returns to the ministry as the new Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories.
The National Party Ministers have seen very little change to their ministries. Deputy Nationals Leader Bridget McKenzie has seen the greatest change with her new portfolio responsibility of Regional Services, Sport, Local Government and Decentralisation.
For a full list of Prime Minister Morrison's first Ministry, click here.
PremierNational congratulates all of the new Ministers and Assistant Ministers on achieving their new roles.