Federal Cabinet Reshuffle

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced his cabinet reshuffle today, a modest set of changes intended to maintain stability, certainty, and constancy after a particularly tumultuous year.

The new look Morrison ministry has been tweaked to enable the Federal Government to meet the unique challenges Australia will likely face in 2021, including that of:

  • The COVID recovery and implementation of the vaccine;

  • the Brereton Report;

  • Aged Care Royal Commission;

  • the Digitalisation agenda & how our cities will operate in a post COVID world;

  • Australia’s relationship with China and the ongoing trade disruptions;

  • changes to industrial relations and, of course;

  • the upcoming election.

Dan Tehan, a former diplomat and trade advisor, will take over as Trade Minister. Restoring commercial ties with China will be significant challenge in this role for 2021, with the reshuffle coming just days after Australia announced it would take China to the World Trade Organization over the barley dispute. Alan Tudge will step up to cabinet in Minister Tehan’s former portfolio of education, newly combined with the youth affairs portfolio that previously sat with Senator Richard Colbeck.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Health Minister Greg Hunt was given oversight of parts of the Federal responsibility into aged care. Today the Prime Minister has formalised this arrangement and elevated the responsibility into cabinet. Over and above the COVID challenges in aged care that we’ve seen this year, this is further significant because the findings the Aged Care Royal Commission will be a priority of the Morrison Government in 2021.  Minister Colbeck, however, has retained the responsibility for aged care services and senior Australians portfolios, as well as sport.

Communications and Arts Minister Paul Fletcher has had his former responsibilities of urban infrastructure and cities portfolios brought back under his guidance. This move works to further cement the Departmental shake up the Prime Minister made last year, when he brought the Departments of Communications and the Arts under the Department of Infrastructure.

Western Sydney MP Alex Hawke will be moving from his responsibilities in the Pacific to the portfolios of immigration, citizenship, migrant services and multicultural affairs. This is a significant move by the Prime Minister, as he puts together his team for the next election. Western Sydney is one of the most multicultural regions in Australia, but also home to both some of the fastest growing regions in the country and a plethora of must win marginal seats.

Minister Coleman, who took indefinite personal leave in 2019, will be returning to Parliament as the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Further assistant minister appointments emerging from the reshuffle include Senator Amanda Stoker, a former barrister and prosecutor, becoming the Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General, and former SAS commander and current head of the parliamentary intelligence committee Andrew Hastie becoming the Assistant Minister for Defence.

Senator Zed Seselija will be elevated to the Ministry and will take on international development and Pacific portfolios. Jane Hume will also be elevated, retaining the superannuation and financial services portfolios, and added responsibility for digital economy.

For the entirety of Morrison’s Second Ministry please click here.

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