LIBERAL LEADERSHIP: THE NEXT GENERATION

Last Friday, following an eventful week in Canberra, the Liberal Party put an end to leadership speculation by selecting both a new Leader (and therefore Prime Minister) and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.

The Hon Scott Morrison MP was selected by the Parliamentary Liberal Party as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia.

Mr Morrison has been an influential member of the Coalition Government and a key member of the economic team having served as Treasurer since September 2015. He previously held the Social Services and Immigration portfolios.

Mr Morrison was first elected to Parliament in the safe Sydney seat of Cook in 2007. Prior to his Parliamentary career, he was known for his work in the tourism sector and had also been involved in the Liberal Party as State Director. He is considered socially conservative however has generally taken a pragmatic approach to policy issues. For those of you that are NRL fans, many would know that the PM is a big supporter of the Cronulla Sharks (who are faring pretty well this year).

The Prime Minister will be joined in the leadership team by the former Minister for Energy, the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, who was elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. Mr Frydenberg will assume the role of Treasurer.

Mr Frydenberg has held the ministries of Environment and Energy, Resources and Northern Australia and Assistant Treasurer. He was first elected to the safe Melbourne seat of Kooyong in 2010, a seat famously held by former prime minister, Sir Robert Menzies and former Liberal Opposition Leader, the Hon Andrew Peacock. Those of you that are AFL fans may know that the Treasurer is a long-term Carlton Blues fan (who are not faring so well this year…).

CONSTRUCTING A CABINET

Following on from the change of leadership, there have been a number of changes to the ministry with a new ministry being sworn in on Tuesday.

In a notable shift for the Government, the energy and environment portfolios have been split, with the Hon Angus Taylor MP taking on the role of Minister for Energy.

Mr Taylor is faced with significant expectations on lowering energy prices, which is expected to be a key policy issue for the upcoming federal election, and with the Government last week announcing a number of changes to energy policy and the National Energy Guarantee.

Both households and industry will be looking to the Minister to deliver on the Government’s promise of lower energy prices.

Also joining the Cabinet is the new Minister for the Environment, the Hon Melissa Price MP. Ms Price represents the large Western Australian seat of Durack and has previously been criticised for her sympathy for scepticism of the scientific consensus on climate change.

The Minister will need to walk a relatively tight path to deliver an acceptable policy outcome for all members of the Coalition, as well as the community.

In another key appointment, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham will take on the role of Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Senator Birmingham represents the State of South Australia and was considered a strong performer in the media in his previous portfolio of Education.

The Minister will be faced with a number of key policy challenges in the near future with Brexit in March 2019 and the European Union Free Trade Agreement negotiations currently taking place.

The division between the portfolios of Defence and Defence Industry will remain with the Hon Christopher Pyne MP now moving into the role of Minister for Defence, having successfully delivered a number of projects as Minister for Defence Industry.

Mr Pyne will also retain the role of Leader of the House. It is a role that will be slightly more challenging with the announcement by former prime minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP that he would resign from the Sydney seat of Wentworth and subsequently force a by-election.

The Hon Steven Ciobo MP will become Minister for Defence Industry. Mr Ciobo has previously held the high-profile Trade Portfolio and his experience in this portfolio should assist him in delivering on the Government’s commitment to growing Australian defence exports.

Mr Ciobo is also expected to be responsible for the delivery of the numerous defence procurement processes that are currently underway including future submarines, frigates, offshore patrol vessels and various vehicles.

Vacating the Defence portfolio, Senator the Hon Marise Payne has been appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Senator Payne will need to work with the incoming Minister for Trade in what are likely to be uncertain global times in the lead up to Brexit in March 2019.

In the industry portfolio, the Hon Karen Andrews MP has been promoted from the outer minister into Cabinet as Minister for Industry, Science and Technology.

The Minister will need to work closely with the Minister for Energy to address the energy crisis that is gripping industry in Australia.

In the social policy space, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP has been promoted into Cabinet as Minister for Families and Social Services.

Mr Fletcher is new to social policy issues and takes on a key area of policy which has been at times controversial for the Government. He will need to navigate the complexities of families, Newstart and the National Disability Insurance Scheme policies in the lead up to the next election.

Other reallocations of responsibilities within the Ministry saw the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer MP appointed Minister for Jobs, Industrial Relations and Women, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash appointed Minister for Small and Family Business, Skills and Vocational Education, the Hon David Coleman MP appointed Minister for Immigration, the Hon Alan Tudge MP appointed Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population, the Hon Dan Tehan MP appointed Minister for Education and the Hon Alex Hawke MP appointed Special Minister of State.

A number of Ministers from the Turnbull Ministry remain in the same portfolios, with the Hon Greg Hunt MP retaining Health, the Hon Peter Dutton MP retaining Home Affairs and Senator the Hon Mitch Fifield retaining Communications.

Key Nationals remain in the Ministry with some portfolio changes following the departure of the Hon Dr John McVeigh MP from the Regional Development, Territories and Local Government portfolio.

There were also a number of promotions and changes to the Parliamentary Secretaries. These include:

• Hon Andrew Broad MP — Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister
• Hon Scott Buchholz MP — Assistant Minister for Roads and Transport
• Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck — Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
• Hon Mark Coulton MP — Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
• Senator David Fawcett — Assistant Minister for Defence
• Hon Sarah Henderson MP — Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services
• Hon Steve Irons MP — Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister
• Hon Michelle Landry MP — Assistant Minister for Children and Families
• Senator Linda Reynolds CSC — Assistant Minister for Home Affairs
• Hon Stuart Robert MP — Assistant Treasurer
• Senator the Hon Anne Ruston — Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific
• Senator the Hon Zed Seselja — Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance