Three Nationals in Abbott's cabinet

Tony Abbott has offered a handful of promotions to select Nationals MPs in his new ministry, most notably Barnaby Joyce who has been elevated to cabinet.

The high-profile Nationals MP, who quit the Senate and successfully ran for the lower house seat of New England, was assigned the agriculture portfolio coveted by his party.

His promotion came at the expense of long-serving shadow minister and National party colleague John Cobb, who was overlooked for any spot in Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott's ministry.

Deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Warren Truss naturally had a spot in cabinet, and was given the infrastructure and regional development portfolios as expected.

NT senator Nigel Scullion was also elevated to cabinet and will take on the indigenous affairs portfolio he oversaw in opposition.

Nationals senator Fiona Nash, formerly a shadow parliamentary secretary, also got a boost with a promotion to Prime Minister elect Tony Abbott's outer ministry.

Senator Nash will be assistant minister for health and one of just six women who will represent the coalition in the cabinet, outer ministry and parliamentary secretary.

NSW Nationals MP Luke Hartsuyker will also join the outer ministry as assistant minister for employment after overseeing several unrelated shadow portfolios.

His NSW colleague Michael McCormack has been promoted to parliamentary secretary to the minister for finance, while Victorian Nationals MP Darren Chester will be parliamentary secretary to the minister for defence.

There were some losses for the party, which will have a greater presence in the lower house after winning four new seats in the federal election.

Trade, a portfolio given to the Nationals in previous coalition governments, went instead to senior Liberal Andrew Robb.

The move was widely tipped amid reports some Liberals were concerned the Nationals outlook on certain trade issues was too protectionist.