First Turnbull ministry explained

Cabinet Name:First Turnbull ministry
Cabinet Type:ministry
Cabinet Number:69th
Jurisdiction:Australia
Flag:Flag of Australia.svg
Flag Border:true
Date Formed:15 September 2015
Date Dissolved:19 July 2016
Government Head:Malcolm Turnbull
Deputy Government Head:Warren Truss (2015–16)
Barnaby Joyce (2016)
State Head:Elizabeth II
Governor General:Sir Peter Cosgrove
Members Number:30
Political Party:Liberal–National coalition
Legislature Status:Coalition majority government
Opposition Cabinet:Shorten Shadow Cabinet
Opposition Party:Labor
Legislature Term:44th
Predecessor:Abbott ministry
Successor:Second Turnbull ministry
State Head Title:Monarch
Government Head Title:Prime Minister
Deputy Government Head Title:Deputy Prime Minister

The first Turnbull ministry (Liberal–National Coalition) was the 69th ministry of the Government of Australia, led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. It succeeded the Abbott ministry after a leadership spill that took place on 14 September 2015 ended Prime Minister Tony Abbott's leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia.[1] On 15 September, the National Party confirmed, after successful negotiations, that it would continue a coalition agreement with the Liberal Party, guaranteeing the Turnbull government a majority in the Australian House of Representatives.[2]

The Turnbull ministry carried over from its predecessor Abbott ministry, until Turnbull announced significant ministerial changes on 20 September 2015 which took effect the following day.[3] [4] On 29 December 2015, Jamie Briggs resigned from his portfolio following a complaint regarding a late night incident with a public servant; and on the same day, Mal Brough stood aside pending Australian Federal Police investigations into the James Ashby affair.

A second rearrangement was announced on 13 February 2016[5] following the retirements of Andrew Robb on 10 February 2016 and Warren Truss on 11 February, and the resignations from the ministry of Stuart Robert on 12 February and Mal Brough on 13 February. The second arrangement was sworn in by the Governor-General on 18 February.[6]

First arrangement

The first arrangement of the Turnbull ministry was sworn in on 21 September 2015 and continued until 18 February 2016. Like the Abbott ministry, the Turnbull ministry contained 30 ministers, but the number of ministers in the cabinet was increased from 19 to 21, with the outer ministry being reduced from 11 to 9. There were five women in the cabinet and there was one woman in the outer ministry. There were an additional 12 assistant ministers, three of which were women.

Minor changes to the Turnbull ministry took place following the resignation of Jamie Briggs and standing down of Mal Brough on 29 December 2015 and continued until 13 February 2016 when a rearrangement took place following the retirements of Andrew Robb (on 10 February 2016) and Warren Truss (on 11 February), and the resignations of Stuart Robert (on 12 February) and Brough (on 13 February).

Cabinet

PartyMinisterPortfolio
Liberal
LNP
Liberal
LNP
LiberalSenator Mathias Cormann
Liberal
National
  • Leader of the National Party (from 11 February 2016)
  • Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
  • Deputy Leader of the National Party (until 11 February 2016)
Liberal
CLPSenator Nigel Scullion
LiberalSenator Marise Payne
Liberal
LiberalSenator Simon Birmingham
LiberalSenator Michaelia Cash
Liberal
Liberal
Liberal
Liberal
LNP
LiberalSenator Mitch Fifield
Liberal
Liberal

Outer Ministry

PartyMinisterPortfolio
Liberal
LNP
LiberalSenator Richard Colbeck
LNPMal Brough (resigned)
LiberalJamie Briggs (resigned)
NationalSenator Fiona Nash
  • Minister for Rural Health
  • Deputy Leader of the National Party (from 11 February 2016)
LNP
Liberal
National

Assistant Ministers (Parliamentary Secretaries)

Assistant Ministers (other than the Assistant Treasurer) are sworn in and designated as Parliamentary Secretaries under the Ministers of State Act 1952.[7] However, Ministers of State who were sworn in as Parliamentary Secretaries on 21 September 2015[8] and 30 September 2015[9] are now referred to by Turnbull as Assistant Ministers to provide greater clarity.[10] Legislation has not been enacted to effect any change.[11]

PartyMinisterPortfolio
Liberal
LNPSenator James McGrath
Liberal
  • Assistant Minister for Productivity
LiberalSenator Scott Ryan
National
LNP
LNP
Liberal
  • Assistant Minister for Health (from 30 September)
Liberal
  • Assistant Minister to the Treasurer
LiberalSenator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells
LiberalSenator Anne Ruston
  • Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
National

Second arrangement

A second rearrangement of the Turnbull ministry was announced on 13 February 2016 following the retirements of Andrew Robb on 10 February 2016 and Warren Truss on 11 February, and the resignations of Stuart Robert on 12 February and Mal Brough on 13 February. The new ministry took office on 18 February.[12]

Following the resignation of Truss as the Nationals' leader, Barnaby Joyce became the new National Party leader with effect from 11 February, while Fiona Nash became the National's new deputy leader and the first woman to hold this position. Joyce became the new Deputy Prime Minister with effect from 18 February. The number of Nationals, as cabinet members, increased from three to four with Nash, and Darren Chester becoming cabinet members.

Nash became Minister for Rural Health, Regional Communications and Regional Development. Chester became Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Steven Ciobo became Trade Minister and also moved into the cabinet. Senator Matt Canavan became Minister for Northern Australia. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann retained Special Minister of State in which he had been acting for Mal Brough when Brough had earlier stood aside pending the outcome of Australian Federal Police investigations. Senator Scott Ryan became Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, while Alan Tudge became Minister for Human Services, Dan Tehan became Defence Materiel and Veterans Services Minister. Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells became Minister for International Development and the Pacific. Robb became Special Envoy for Trade until the next election.

The cabinet was increased to 22 ministers, while the outer ministry was reduced to 8. There are six women in the cabinet and another one in the outer ministry and three assistant ministers.

Cabinet

PartyMinisterPortfolio
Liberal
National
Liberal
NationalSenator Fiona Nash
  • Minister for Regional Development
  • Minister for Regional Communications
  • Minister for Rural Health
  • Deputy Leader of the National Party
LNP
Liberal
LiberalSenator Mathias Cormann
Liberal
CLPSenator Nigel Scullion
LNP
Liberal
Liberal
LiberalSenator Marise Payne
LiberalSenator Mitch Fifield
LiberalSenator Michaelia Cash
Liberal
LiberalSenator Simon Birmingham
Liberal
LNP
National
Liberal
Liberal
  • Minister for Resources and Energy

Outer Ministry

PartyMinisterPortfolio
Liberal
  • Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects
LiberalSenator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells
LiberalSenator Richard Colbeck
Liberal
LNPSenator Matt Canavan
Liberal
Liberal
LiberalSenator Scott Ryan

Assistant Ministers (Parliamentary Secretaries)

PartyMinisterPortfolio
LiberalSenator James McGrath
Liberal
  • Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation
Liberal
LNP
LiberalSenator Anne Ruston
  • Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
Liberal
LNP
  • Assistant Minister for Science
LNP
  • Assistant Minister for Innovation
Liberal
  • Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care
National
  • Assistant Minister for Defence
Liberal
  • Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs
LNP
  • Assistant Minister for Disability Affairs

Whips

Prime Minister Turnbull announced the promotion of Nola Marino to Chief Government Whip and the promotions of Brett Whiteley and Ewen Jones to Government Whips on 27 September 2015. The Senate whip positions remained unchanged at that time.[13]

House of Representatives

PartyWhipTitle
Liberal
  • Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives
LNP
  • Government Whip in House of Representatives
Liberal
  • Government Whip in House of Representatives
National
  • Nationals Chief Whip in the House of Representatives
LNP
  • Nationals Deputy Whip in the House of Representatives

Senate

PartyWhipTitle
LiberalSenator David Bushby
  • Chief Government Whip in the Senate
LiberalSenator David Fawcett
  • Deputy Government Whip in the Senate
LiberalSenator Dean Smith
LNP
  • Nationals Whip in the Senate

See also

Notes

a Ken Wyatt did not take his place in the executive until 30 September due to his absence from the country during the initial swearing-in.

b Minister Jamie Briggs resigned on 29 December 2015 and Mal Brough temporarily stood aside from the ministry on the same day. Subsequently, Senator Mathias Cormann and Senator Marise Payne served as Acting Special Minister of State and Acting Minister for Defence Materiel and Science respectively. Brough later resigned from the ministry on 13 February 2016.

Notes and References

  1. News: 14 September 2015 . Malcolm Turnbull wins Liberal leadership ballot over Tony Abbott . ABC News . Australia . 14 September 2015 .
  2. News: 15 September 2015 . Malcolm Turnbull woos Nationals with competition backflip, up to $4b deal . . 15 September 2015.
  3. News: 21 September 2015 . Malcolm Turnbull announces new Cabinet in 'process of renewal', drops Joe Hockey, Eric Abetz . ABC . Australia . 21 September 2015 .
  4. News: 21 September 2015 . Malcolm Turnbull's Cabinet reshuffle:Who's going where? . ABC . Australia . 21 September 2015 .
  5. News: Cabinet reshuffle: Malcolm Turnbull announces new frontbench as Mal Brough resigns . . 13 February 2016 . 13 February 2016 . Massola, James.
  6. News: Darren Chester wins from Nationals' rise with transport ministry . . Maher, Sid . 13 February 2016 . 13 February 2016 .
  7. Web site: Ministers of State Act 1952 (2010 Compilation). ComLaw. Commonwealth of Australia.
  8. Web site: Turnbull Ministry – 21 September 2015 (Gazette – C2015G01573). ComLaw. Commonwealth of Australia.
  9. Web site: Ministerial appointments – 30 September 2015 (Gazette – C2015G01604). ComLaw. Commonwealth of Australia.
  10. Web site: Current Ministry List: The 44th Parliament: 21 September 2015 (amended 30 September 2015). Parliament of Australia. Commonwealth of Australia. 1 October 2015.
  11. News: 28 September 2015 . Parliamentary secretary rebadge in name only . . 25 November 2015.
  12. Web site: Malcolm Turnbull unveils second ministry reshuffle. ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 13 February 2016 . 13 February 2016.
  13. http://www.examiner.com.au/story/3385038/whiteley-appointed-government-whip/?cs=95 Whiteley Appointed Government Whip

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