Winners and losers in ministerial shake-up

There were some high-profile winners and high-profile losers when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull unveiled his first front bench lineup.

WINNERS

SCOTT MORRISON

The ambitious Sydney MP has taken the prized Treasury portfolio. After confident stints in Immigration ("stopping the boats") and Social Services, he's now about to play a much high-profile role in the government. Was a favourite of Sydney shock-jocks, but they've been disappointed that he didn't fully back Abbott.

MARISE PAYNE

The low-profile NSW senator has come out of nowhere to become Australia's first female defence minister. She's also the eighth defence minister in a decade and third in less than a year. She faces a big task in stabilising government-defence relations. But defence sources say she is well respected for her work on parliament's defence and foreign affairs committee.

KELLY O'DWYER

Finally gets her chance to show what she's made of. After being ignored for a significant job by former PM Tony Abbott, the former banker and Peter Costello staffer has been propelled into cabinet as assistant treasurer and small business minister.

ARTHUR SINODINOS

One of the chief architects of the Turnbull ascendancy, the former chief of staff to former PM John Howard is now cabinet secretary. Abbott reluctantly dropped him as assistant treasury because of his appearance as a witness at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption. The ICAC is yet to release its findings.

PETER DUTTON

Held onto his cabinet-level portfolio of immigration, despite question marks over his performance in that role and previously in the health portfolio. The dour former Queensland police officer had backed Abbott in the leadership contest.

LOSERS

JOE HOCKEY

Gone from treasury, the cabinet and, soon, parliament. Turnbull had offered him a role on the front bench, but after a bruising two years as treasurer, the father of three young children has decided enough is enough, and is expected to leave parliament within weeks.

KEVIN ANDREWS

An outspoken Abbott loyalist, the defence minister was dumped from the front bench despite publicly asserting the portfolio needed stability and he was the man for the job. Andrews, who has held six different portfolios in the Howard and Abbott governments, will contest his Melbourne seat of Menzies for the 10th time at the next election.

BRUCE BILLSON

Regarded as a good communicator and performer in the small business portfolio, he decided against taking a demotion to the outer ministry and will now sit on the back bench. Some consider this a misstep by Turnbull.

ERIC ABETZ, IAN MACFARLANE, MICHAEL RONALDSON

Victims of Turnbull's desire for renewal, they are out of the ministry and probably out of the parliament at the next election.

BILL SHORTEN

The Opposition Leader ended up with little to criticise, forced to lament the exits of Hockey and Billson. He did make the point that disability services got cut as a ministerial responsibility.


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3 min read

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Source: AAP


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