Cabinet reshuffle: Scott Morrison moves to Social Services; Sussan Ley promoted as second woman in Cabinet; David Johnston leaves

Updated

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has announced a major reshuffle of his frontbench as he moves to "reset and refocus" his Government for next year.

Scott Morrison has been appointed the Minister for Social Services, taking on an expanded portfolio which includes welfare, families, child care and the paid parental leave scheme.

It puts Mr Morrison at the centre of the Government's agenda next year, fresh from his successes in Immigration.

Significantly, the Prime Minister has made it clear Mr Morrison will be given leeway to negotiate the proposed changes to pensions and unemployment benefits that are not yet through the Senate.

"He is a very tough and competent political operator but he's also an extremely decent human being," Mr Abbott said.

"He knows what it's like to struggle with a mortgage. He knows what it's like to be looking for childcare, for schools, for health services and all the rest of it.

"What we need is the right blend in these areas, we need good judgment in these areas, and that's exactly what you'll get from Scott Morrison."

After months of pressure, David Johnston has been dumped as Defence Minister and replaced by Kevin Andrews, whom the Prime Minister said was a "safe pair of hands".

In announcing Senator Johnston would leave Cabinet, Mr Abbott commended him on his work.

"He's copped a bit of flak, unfairly. He has done a fine job," Mr Abbott said.

Peter Dutton moves to Immigration and his former portfolio of Health will be held by Sussan Ley, who has been promoted, making her the second woman in the upper ranks of the ministry.

Ms Ley's electorate of Farrer covers about a third of New South Wales, stretching from Albury in the state's south, west to Broken Hill and up to the Queensland border.

She said a chief aim in her new portfolio would be to lift healthcare standards for people in remote Australia.

"In being a rural and regional Member of Parliament I'll make sure - as I did in childcare - to keep a rural and regional focus on health, and we know that the outcomes of people in rural Australia are generally not as good as in the cities. That's a gap that needs to close," she said.

She said while being promoted to Cabinet will bring extra duties, she would not abandon the needs of her outback electorate.

"Being able to fly myself does help, it will always be a challenge to manage time and I do represent a third of New South Wales and yes there will always be challenges, but I still come back to the fact that the electorate comes first," she said.

"In an area like health, while doing your portfolio work, you are of course helping your electorate as well because there's not a single person who's not touched by health policy."

Important opportunity to reset and refocus: Abbott

Josh Frydenberg has been promoted to the outer Ministry as Assistant Treasurer.

Mr Abbott said he used the resignation of Assistant Treasurer Arthur Sinodinos to have a "significant" reshuffle.

"It is an important opportunity to reset and refocus the Government to make the economic debate front and centre next year, to put Scott Morrison into an absolutely critical domestic portfolio," he said.

Mr Abbott said the changes would put jobs and families at the centre of the Government's agenda for 2015.

In other changes, Steve Ciobo is replacing Brett Mason as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Affairs Minister and there are three new appointments to the frontbench.

Former WA Treasurer Christian Porter will be the new Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Kelly O'Dwyer the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer and Karen Andrews the new Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry Ian Macfarlane, who adds Science to his title.

Science was previously split between the Industry and Education portfolios and Mr Abbott has long said Mr Macfarlane did not need science in his title.

But today the Prime Minister said "sometimes it helps if you put these things in the title".

"I have decided to state in words what I thought was always obvious so it is obvious for everyone," he said.

"He is now the Minister for Industry and Science."

Mr Abbott said he was pleased the reshuffle had boosted the number of women in senior roles.

"I am pleased that there is now a second woman in the cabinet. I am pleased that two of the new parliamentary secretaries are female," he said.

"But in the end, all of our appointments are on merit. As time goes by, and the number of women in the parliament increases, I am confident that there will be more and more women in the ministry."

Reshuffle won't fix unfair agenda: Labor

Acting Opposition Leader Penny Wong said the reshuffle marked a chaotic end to the year for the Government.

"I think it is a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister's Cabinet," she said.

"You don't need to have this extensive a reshuffle if your cabinet's performing well.

"And the reality we know is the cabinet isn't performing well, and the Government's not performing well because their policies are bad.

"None of that has changed with this reshuffle and no reshuffle can fix this government's unfair agenda and unfair budget."

Greens Leader Christine Milne slammed the appointment of Mr Morrison as Social Services Minister.

"Putting Scott Morrison in charge of Social Services will send shivers down the spines of people across the country," she said.

"Scott Morrison and the word compassion don't go in the same sentence."

The new cabinet will be sworn in on Tuesday.

Topics: abbott-tony, government-and-politics, federal-government, federal-parliament, australia

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