Joyce remains agriculture minister

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the changes today with the Nationals gaining several promotions due to improving their number of elected members in the Coalition, at the recent federal poll.

“It was at this very podium, at this very spot, when John Howard said some years ago, ‘politics is governed by the iron laws of arithmetic’,” he said.

Mr Turnbull said the ministry team he announced would deliver on the economic plan and budget strategy put to the people by the Coalition, at the election.

He said all cabinet ministers he appointed during the last term of government would be re-appointed, with some changes of role and title.

NSW Nationals MP Michael McCormack was one of the big winners gaining a promotion to Small Business Minister, from being the Assistant Minister for Defence in the previous ministry.

Queensland Nationals Senator Matthew Canavan was another prime mover entering the cabinet as Minister for Resources and Northern Australia with a focus on economic development.

Nationals’ deputy-leader Fiona Nash has added Local Government and Territories to her Regional Development and Regional Communications role.

Senator Nash previously had regional health duties in her expanded portfolio which has now gone to NSW Nationals MP Dr David Gillespie who enters the ministry for the first time as Assistant Minister for Rural Health.

Mr Turnbull said Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck was not assured of retaining his Senate seat as vote counting continued and he’d decided not to reappoint him to the ministry, where he was

But the PM thanked Senator Colbeck for his service and said if he was re-elected then there would be no barrier to his return to the ministry, “in due course”.

Queensland Nationals MP Keith Pitt was Mr Joyce’s assistant minister and will now become the Assistant Minister for Trade, Investment and Tourism which was mostly previously held by Senator Colbeck.

NSW Nationals MP Luke Hartsuyker was returned to the ministry as the Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister.

Victorian MP Darren Chester will remain the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and NT Senator Nigel Scullion Indigenous Affairs, giving the Nationals five members in cabinet along with Mr Joyce, Senator Nash and Senator Canavan.

Victorian rural Liberal MP Dan Tehan was promoted to Minister for Defence Personnel adding to his role as Minister for Veterans Affairs.

Mr Tehan also was appointed the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security and NSW Liberal MP Angus Taylor retained his role as the Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation.

Another rural Liberal MP Sussan Ley remains the Minister for Health, Aged Care and Sport and SA Senator Anne Ruston the Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources.

In other developments, Greg Hunt was named the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, and his Environment Ministry was given to Josh Frydenberg who took the expanded Environment and Energy Portfolio, combining all the key energy policy areas.

Former Industry Minister Christopher Pyne was appointed to the new role of Minister for Defence Industry, within the Defence Portfolio.

Former Small Business Minister Kelly O’Dwyer will now be the Minister for Revenue and Financial Services.

Liberal MP Steven Ciobo will remain as the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and Scott Morrison the Treasurer.

Mr Turnbull said the new ministry provided stability and continuity at a time when there were “great opportunities ahead for Australians -- but also significant economic and fiscal challenges”.

“My team will now get on with the job of governing, working constructively and responsibly with other parties in the Parliament to deliver a strong and secure future for all Australians,” he said.

Mr McCormack said he was the first member of the Nationals to ever hold the small Business title in the federal ministry and was humbled by his appointment.

“I’ll always recognise that Australian farmers are also people who run small businesses,” he said.

“While my job will mean focussing on the development of small businesses in the big cities, I will also bring a strong regional focus to anything I do.

“The sorts of amazing small business start-up ideas that are now household names across Australia - like Simone Eyles and her coffee ap 365cups and Jane Cay’s online clothing business Birdsnest - just goes to show what can be done by small business people in regional Australia.”

Mr McCormack said having owned and operated his own small business in Wagga Wagga for more than eight years he understood “firsthand the vital role small business plays in many local communities”.

But the Opposition slammed the government dumping the Small Business portfolio from cabinet, saying its pro-small business rhetoric was nothing more than lip-service.

Shadow Small Business Minister Michelle Rowland said despite appointing the largest Cabinet since 1975, Mr Turnbull had found no room for Small Business.

“This is a massive snub to the Australian small business sector and millions of Australians who are employed in small businesses,” she said.

“As the Australian economy transitions, the role of our small businesses as job-creating drivers of economic growth and prosperity has never been more important.”

But Mr Turnbull said small business was a “relentless focus of every minister” although only one minister had that title.

“Small business is the very engine room of our economy,” he said.

“I talk about small business, I think about small business, all the time; so does the Treasurer - it is absolutely fundamental.

“There is a portfolio of small business which has certain responsibilities and that is going to Michael McCormack, who is a great member, a very talented man…but everyone is focused on small business.”

Senator Colbeck said he was extremely disappointed to have to relinquish his portfolio but agreed with the PM that the need to finalise a new team and the uncertainty relating to his Senate seat made it impossible to wait.

“The business of government is much bigger than any individual,” he said.

Mr Pitt said his appointment was a “fantastic outcome” for his electorate of Hinkler.

“This region – like many other regional areas in Australia – has many trade, tourism and investment opportunities and I look forward to doing my utmost in this new role for the region, the State and the nation,” he said.

Mr Chester said the Coalition government had an ambitious infrastructure agenda with construction across the nation on a range of large and small projects, like the Melbourne-Brisbane inland rail

“As a member of the Nationals, I’m determined to ensure that a fair share of government funding is allocated to projects that will also deliver long term benefits for people outside our capital cities,” he said.