Canberra, Australia: Australia's prime minister today announced a Cabinet reshuffle after three ministers resigned over scandals and two announced that they will retire at elections due within months.
It is the second major reshuffle for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull since he came to power in September. It introduced six new ministers among 42 who must prove themselves ahead of elections due around September.
Turnbull said he did not expect to make any further ministerial changes ahead of the election. The reshuffle revitalized the government through the promotion of younger ministers, he said.
"This is transition, this is change, this is renewal and it's very ... important," Turnbull told reporters.
The reshuffle was triggered by two key ministers Andrew Robb and Warren Truss, announcing this week that they will retire at the next elections.
Robb has been praised for sealing bilateral free trade deals with major trading partners China, Japan and South Korea as minister for trade and investment. He is replaced by Steven Ciobo, but will remain involved in the portfolio until the elections as a special envoy for trade.
Truss's portfolios will be shared between two experienced ministers when the new Cabinet is sworn in on Thursday.
The first resignation from Turnbull's ministry came in late December in response to a female public servant complaining about a minister's drunken behavior in a Hong Kong bar. Another minister resigned on Friday after an investigation found he had a potential financial interest in a trip he made to Beijing with an Australian businessman.
A third minister resigned on Saturday because a police investigation into whether he illegally accessed a House of Representative speaker's diary was likely to drag on for months.
It is the second major reshuffle for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull since he came to power in September. It introduced six new ministers among 42 who must prove themselves ahead of elections due around September.
Turnbull said he did not expect to make any further ministerial changes ahead of the election. The reshuffle revitalized the government through the promotion of younger ministers, he said.
The reshuffle was triggered by two key ministers Andrew Robb and Warren Truss, announcing this week that they will retire at the next elections.
Advertisement
Truss's portfolios will be shared between two experienced ministers when the new Cabinet is sworn in on Thursday.
Advertisement
A third minister resigned on Saturday because a police investigation into whether he illegally accessed a House of Representative speaker's diary was likely to drag on for months.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
UAE Possible Candidate To Host Women's T20 World Cup 2024, Bangladesh Ask For More Time Steve Smith Unsure About Australia T20I Future, Wants Another IPL Opportunity "Melbourne Is A Vibe" - A Look At Kartik Aaryan's Foodie Outing In Australia Parents Gave Names Of Interns, Doctors To CBI In Kolkata Horror: Sources Video: Woman Tries To Jump Off Mumbai's Atal Setu, Saved By Driver, Cops Private Jets, Luxury Cars: Lavish Life Of "Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha Watch: Turkish MPs Fight During Debate On Jailed Opposition Leader "Shoot Me Up With...": What Matthew Perry Told Assistant Hours Before Death Private Jets, Luxury Cars: Lavish Life Of "Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.