Cabinet reshuffle: Julie Bishop defends Tony Abbott over achievement for women comments

Updated

Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop has defended Prime Minister Tony Abbott for nominating the carbon tax repeal as one of his achievements for women in the past year.

During an interview on The Today Show to promote his "refreshed" ministry, Mr Abbott was asked to nominate his biggest achievement for women, as he is also the Minister for Women.

"Well, you know, it is very important to do the right thing by families and households," Mr Abbott responded.

"As many of us know, women are particularly focused on the household budget and the repeal of the carbon tax means a $550-a-year benefit for the average family."

He also mentioned the Government's paid parental leave scheme and yet to be announced changes to child care.

"We have got our fair dinkum parental leave scheme which will be coming into the Parliament in the New Year. We have got improvements to child care," Mr Abbott said.

Ms Bishop responded to questions about the Prime Minister's comments by saying "women's policy is everyone's policy".

"There are numerous issues that could be mentioned in the context of what we do for women," she said.

"I think the Prime Minister was focusing on the policy change that will have the largest impact on families and households and getting rid of the carbon tax is certainly that."

In the ministerial reshuffle, the Prime Minister has doubled the number of women in Cabinet, with Sussan Ley being named Health Minister.

Mr Abbott also promoted two new women to the frontbench - Kelly O'Dwyer and Karen Andrews.

Ms Bishop said she was particularly pleased to see Ms Ley promoted to Cabinet.

"I'd like to see more women in Cabinet and I hope that over time as positions become available women will be promoted on merit. Sussan Ley is an outstanding addition to the Cabinet team," Ms Bishop said.

"Of course there are any number of women and men who could have been promoted to the Cabinet.

"The challenge of course is with such a great team choosing those that will fit in with the Government's agenda and what we're seeking to achieve."

Acting Opposition Leader Penny Wong said Mr Abbott still had very few women in his ministry.

"In modern Australia, women's roles are far more influential than it would be suggested by the small number of women in his Cabinet," Senator Wong said.

"Tony Abbott wants a medal for having two women in his Cabinet. Give us a break."

Greens Leader Christine Milne said the Prime Minister's comments had shown him to be small-minded on climate change and women.

"He might as well have said that by abolishing the carbon price he'd been able to give women more money to buy a better iron and so they could stay home and iron more often," Senator Milne said.

Topics: abbott-tony, women, bishop-julie, community-and-society, federal-government, tax, australia

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