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Australia PM Gillard announces minor cabinet changes
Source: Agencies |
June 28, 2010, Monday
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AUSTRALIA'S new Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced a minor cabinet reshuffle today, keeping the key Treasury and Resources portfolios unchanged and leaving former prime minister Kevin Rudd on the backbench.
New Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan remains Treasurer and Martin Ferguson stays on as Resources Minister, and the two will continue their roles to negotiate with miners on a proposed 40 percent mining tax.
Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner, who will retire at elections due any time from August, also remains in his job until the election.
"The premium that I have put in these new ministerial arrangements is on stability," Gillard told reporters.
Gillard appointed former trade minister Simon Crean to take over her former portfolios of education, employment, workplace relations and social inclusion.
Foreign minister Stephen Smith keeps his job, but also takes on Crean's former portfolio of Trade.
Gillard replaced Rudd as prime minister on June 24 but had left open the option of giving Rudd a senior ministry. She said Rudd would be welcomed into the cabinet after the next election.
"If the government is re-elected, I will be very delighted to welcome Kevin Rudd into the cabinet in a senior position," she said.
Gillard can call an election any time from July, with polling to take place between mid-August and the end of the year.
Opinion polls show Gillard's elevation to the prime ministership has boosted the ruling Labor Party's standing and put it back on track to win the election. Gillard acknowledged, however, that the election would still be difficult to win.
"I am not making any assumptions about what will happen on election day. This will be a close hard-fought contest," she said.
New Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan remains Treasurer and Martin Ferguson stays on as Resources Minister, and the two will continue their roles to negotiate with miners on a proposed 40 percent mining tax.
Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner, who will retire at elections due any time from August, also remains in his job until the election.
"The premium that I have put in these new ministerial arrangements is on stability," Gillard told reporters.
Gillard appointed former trade minister Simon Crean to take over her former portfolios of education, employment, workplace relations and social inclusion.
Foreign minister Stephen Smith keeps his job, but also takes on Crean's former portfolio of Trade.
Gillard replaced Rudd as prime minister on June 24 but had left open the option of giving Rudd a senior ministry. She said Rudd would be welcomed into the cabinet after the next election.
"If the government is re-elected, I will be very delighted to welcome Kevin Rudd into the cabinet in a senior position," she said.
Gillard can call an election any time from July, with polling to take place between mid-August and the end of the year.
Opinion polls show Gillard's elevation to the prime ministership has boosted the ruling Labor Party's standing and put it back on track to win the election. Gillard acknowledged, however, that the election would still be difficult to win.
"I am not making any assumptions about what will happen on election day. This will be a close hard-fought contest," she said.
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