Third Howard Ministry

This is the full text of the statement released by the Prime Minister, John Howard, announcing the composition of his third term government.

I am pleased to announce today the Third Howard Ministry the appointment of which I will recommend to the Governor General. The swearing in of the Ministry will take place on Monday afternoon, 26 November 2001, at Government House, Canberra.

The Ministry has been chosen on the basis of both proven performance and new members with a potential to contribute to the Government over the longer term. There has been some restructuring of portfolios to improve administrative efficiency and to fulfil election commitments.

There are three new Cabinet Ministers. The Honourable Dr Brendan Nelson MP will become the Minister for Education, Science and Training. Senator the Honourable Kay Patterson has been appointed Minister for Health and Ageing. The Honourable Ian Macfarlane MP will become the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources.

The new faces in the outer Ministry are Mrs Danna Vale MP, Mr Gary Hardgrave MP, Senator Helen Coonan and Mr Kevin Andrews MP.

I take the opportunity to thank the Honourable Jackie Kelly, MP for her work as Minister for Sport and Tourism over the last three years. She indicated to me earlier this week that she did not wish to be considered for a position in the Ministry because of family and other personal commitments at this time. Ms Kelly has, however, agreed to my request that she continue to serve the Government in the slightly less onerous but important role as my Parliamentary Secretary. I would hope to consider Jackie Kelly for reappointment to the Ministry when an opportunity arises in the future.

Senator Bill Heffernan will remain as Parliamentary Secretary to Cabinet.

I record my thanks and appreciation to the Hon Bronwyn Bishop MP for her ministerial work over the last five and a half years, firstly in the defence portfolio and more recently as the Minister for Aged Care.

The Honourable Bruce Scott MP has not been included in the Ministry due to a reduction in the proportion of National Party Ministers. I express the gratitude of the Government for his excellent work as Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence.

The Honourable John Anderson MP, Deputy Prime Minister, will remain as Minister for Transport and Regional Services. I have decided to transfer a number of regional policies and programmes from other portfolios to the Department of Transport and Regional Services, including Area Consultative Committees, Natural Disaster Relief Finances and the Regional Assistance Programme.

It is my intention to appoint the Honourable Wilson Tuckey MP as Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government. However, he will not be sworn in until the completion of a police investigation currently underway into issues associated with the charter of aircraft in Western Australia some years ago. Mr Tuckey has assured me that he does not believe that he has been involved in any wrong doing and that he would wish his reappointment to the Ministry to be delayed until the matter has been resolved. Senator Ron Boswell will remain as Parliamentary Secretary in the portfolio.

The Honourable Peter Costello MP will remain as Treasurer. Senator Helen Coonan will be appointed as Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer. Senator the Honourable Ian Campbell will be appointed to the portfolio as Parliamentary Secretary.

The Honourable Mark Vaile MP will remain as the Minister for Trade and the Honourable Alexander Downer MP will remain as Minister for Foreign Affairs. The foreign affairs portfolio will be augmented by the creation of an Office of Trade Negotiations and the transfer of the overseas property management function from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Honourable Chris Gallus MP will be appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

I have reappointed Senator the Honourable Robert Hill as Leader of the Government in the Senate and have appointed him as Minister for Defence. He will be assisted by Mrs Danna Vale MP who will also become Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. Mrs Fran Bailey MP will be appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Defence. Emergency Management Australia will be transferred to the Attorney-General’s portfolio.

I have reappointed Senator the Honourable Richard Alston as Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate. He will remain as Minister for Communications and Information Technology. Senator the Honourable Rod Kemp will become Minister for Arts and Sport. The portfolio will be augmented by the transfer of the sports function, government information and the creation of a postal industry ombudsman. Cultural heritage programmes will be transferred to the Department of Environment and Heritage.

The Honourable Dr David Kemp MP will be appointed Minister for the Environment and Heritage and remain as Vice President of the Executive Council. He will be assisted by the Honourable Dr Sharman Stone MP who will remain as Parliamentary Secretary in the portfolio.

The Honourable Tony Abbott MP will remain as Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and will be appointed Leader of the House and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service. Mr Abbott’s portfolio will gain responsibility for the Remuneration Tribunal and public sector remuneration policy. The Office of Small Business will be transferred to the new Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Resources.

The Honourable Mal Brough MP will remain as Minister for Employment Services.

Senator the Honourable Amanda Vanstone will be reappointed as Minister for Family and Community Services. The portfolio will gain responsibility for youth affairs and programmes in support of indigenous young people that are currently within the education portfolio.

The Honourable Larry Anthony MP will be appointed as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Mr Ross Cameron MP will be appointed as Parliamentary Secretary in this portfolio.

Senator the Honourable Kay Patterson will be appointed Minister for Health and Ageing. The change in the portfolio’s title reflects the Government’s commitment in its third term to more thoroughly address challenges arising from the ageing of Australia’s population. The portfolio will gain the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service from the Department of Family and Community Services. Mr Kevin Andrews MP will be appointed as the Minister for Ageing and the Honourable Trish Worth MP will be appointed as Parliamentary Secretary.

Senator the Honourable Nick Minchin will become Minister for Finance and Administration and Senator the Honourable Eric Abetz will remain as Special Minister of State. The Office of Asset Sales and Commercial Support will be abolished and its functions absorbed by the Department. Responsibility for service charters will be transferred to my portfolio and administrative support for Royal Commissions will transferred to the Attorney-General’s portfolio. The Honourable Peter Slipper MP will remain as Parliamentary Secretary in the Finance and Administration portfolio.

The Honourable Dr Brendan Nelson MP will be appointed as Minister for Education, Science and Training. I have decided to transfer responsibility for science policy and programmes (including CSIRO) to the education portfolio to create better linkages between these sectors, particularly in light of the substantial additional commitment of resources provided by the Government in “Backing Australia’s Ability”.

The Honourable Peter McGauran MP will be appointed Minister for Science.

The Honourable Ian Macfarlane MP will become Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. The inclusion of tourism in the title of the portfolio is to more adequately reflect the growing importance of this sector in the Australian economy. In view of the important linkages between tourism and the small business sector I have decided to appoint a Minister for Small Business and Tourism, the Honourable Joe Hockey MP. The Honourable Warren Entsch MP will remain as Parliamentary Secretary in this portfolio.

The Honourable Daryl Williams AM QC MP will be reappointed as Attorney-General and Senator the Honourable Chris Ellison as Minister for Justice and Customs.

I have decided that the Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs will be absorbed within a new portfolio of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. The Honourable Philip Ruddock MP will be the senior Minister in the portfolio and Mr Gary Hardgrave MP will become Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. The Government will enhance its efforts to promote the concept of citizenship as a unifying force in Australian society.

The Honourable Warren Truss MP will be reappointed as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. He will be assisted by Senator the Honourable Ian Macdonald who will be Minister for Forestry and Conservation. Senator the Honourable Judith Troeth will remain as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Mr Jim Lloyd MP, the Member for Robertson, has been appointed as Chief Government Whip. He will be assisted by Stewart MacArthur MP and Joanna Gash MP as Government Whips.

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