First Turnbull ministry

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]

First Turnbull ministry

69th ministry of Australia
Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove with first arrangement of newly appointed ministers to the Turnbull ministry
Date formed15 September 2015
Date dissolved19 July 2016
People and organisations
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor-GeneralSir Peter Cosgrove
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Deputy Prime MinisterWarren Truss (2015–16)
Barnaby Joyce (2016)
No. of ministers30
Member partyLiberalNational coalition
Status in legislatureCoalition majority government
90 / 150
Opposition cabinetShorten Shadow Cabinet
Opposition partyLabor
Opposition leaderBill Shorten
History
Outgoing election2 July 2016
Legislature term44th
PredecessorAbbott ministry
SuccessorSecond Turnbull ministry

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

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The first arrangement of the Turnbull ministry was sworn in on 21 September 2015a and continued until 18 February 2016.[5] 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[5] 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

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Party Minister Portfolio
Liberal Malcolm Turnbull MP
LNP Warren Truss MP
Liberal Julie Bishop MP
LNP Senator George Brandis QC
Liberal Senator Mathias Cormann
Liberal Scott Morrison MP
National Barnaby Joyce MP
Liberal Christopher Pyne MP
CLP Senator Nigel Scullion
Liberal Senator Marise Payne
Liberal Sussan Ley MP
Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham
Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash
Liberal Christian Porter MP
Liberal Kelly O'Dwyer MP
Liberal Andrew Robb AO, MP
Liberal Greg Hunt MP
LNP Peter Dutton MP
Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield
Liberal Josh Frydenberg MP
Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos AO

Outer Ministry

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Party Minister Portfolio
Liberal Paul Fletcher MP
LNP Steven Ciobo MP
Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck
LNP Mal Brough MPb (resigned)
Liberal Jamie Briggs MPb (resigned)
National Senator Fiona Nash
LNP Stuart Robert MP
Liberal Michael Keenan MP
National Luke Hartsuyker MP

Assistant Ministers (Parliamentary Secretaries)

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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]

Party Minister Portfolio
Liberal Alan Tudge MP
LNP Senator James McGrath
Liberal Dr Peter Hendy MP
  • Assistant Minister for Productivity
Liberal Senator Scott Ryan
National Michael McCormack MP
LNP Karen Andrews MP
LNP Wyatt Roy MP
Liberal Ken Wyatt AM MP
  • Assistant Minister for Health (from 30 September)
Liberal Alex Hawke MP
  • Assistant Minister to the Treasurer
Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells
Liberal Senator Anne Ruston
National Darren Chester MP

Second arrangement

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A second rearrangement of the Turnbull ministry 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 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.[5]

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

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Party Minister Portfolio
Liberal Malcolm Turnbull MP
National Barnaby Joyce MP
Liberal Julie Bishop MP
National Senator Fiona Nash
LNP Senator George Brandis QC
Liberal Scott Morrison MP
Liberal Senator Mathias Cormann
Liberal Christopher Pyne MP
CLP Senator Nigel Scullion
LNP Peter Dutton MP
Liberal Greg Hunt MP
Liberal Sussan Ley MP
Liberal Senator Marise Payne
Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield
Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash
Liberal Christian Porter MP
Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham
Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos AO
LNP Steven Ciobo MP
National Darren Chester MP
Liberal Kelly O'Dwyer MP
Liberal Josh Frydenberg MP

Outer Ministry

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Party Minister Portfolio
Liberal Paul Fletcher MP
Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells
Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck
Liberal Michael Keenan MP
LNP Senator Matt Canavan
Liberal Dan Tehan MP
Liberal Alan Tudge MP
Liberal Senator Scott Ryan

Assistant Ministers (Parliamentary Secretaries)

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Party Minister Portfolio
Liberal Senator James McGrath
Liberal Angus Taylor MP
Liberal Dr Peter Hendy MP
LNP Keith Pitt MP
Liberal Senator Anne Ruston
Liberal Alex Hawke MP
LNP Karen Andrews MP
LNP Wyatt Roy MP
Liberal Ken Wyatt AM, MP
National Michael McCormack MP
Liberal Craig Laundy MP
LNP Jane Prentice MP

Whips

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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

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Party Whip Title
Liberal Nola Marino MP
  • Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives
LNP Ewen Jones MP
  • Government Whip in House of Representatives
Liberal Brett Whiteley MP
  • Government Whip in House of Representatives
National Mark Coulton MP
  • Nationals Chief Whip in the House of Representatives
LNP George Christensen MP
  • Nationals Deputy Whip in the House of Representatives

Senate

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Party Whip Title
Liberal Senator David Bushby
  • Chief Government Whip in the Senate
Liberal Senator David Fawcett
  • Deputy Government Whip in the Senate
Liberal Senator Dean Smith
LNP Senator Matt Canavan
  • Nationals Whip in the Senate

See also

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Notes

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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.

References

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