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Energy security is the federal government’s number one priority, according to Josh Frydenberg, the Minister for the Environment and Energy.
Frydenberg held a press conference this morning, following last night’s blackout across the whole of South Australia. [Read more…]
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced his new ministry, following the 2016 federal election.
The Second Turnbull Government will be sworn in at Government House tomorrow morning at 9.00am.
There are 42 members of the executive. The Cabinet has been increased to 23 members, the largest number since the Whitlam governments (1972-75), when all ministers were in the Cabinet and there was no outer ministry. The Outer Ministry has shrunk to 7 members and there are 12 Assistant Ministers, previously known as Parliamentary Secretaries.
Most major portfolios in the Cabinet are unchanged. Scott Morrisonremains Treasurer, whilst Julie Bishop continues in Foreign Affairs and Peter Dutton stays in Immigration and Border Protection.
Christopher Pyne has been moved from Education into a newly-created portfolio of Defence Industry, in which he will oversee the South Australian submarine building program. Senator Simon Birmingham becomes Minister for Education and Training.
Kelly O’Dwyer’s position as Assistant Treasurer has been re-named Revenue and Financial Services. Her previous responsibility for Small Business has gone to Michael McCormack.
Greg Hunt becomes Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, whilst Josh Frydenberg takes over Environment and Energy. [Read more…]
Peter Costello has canvassed a return to federal politics with his old friend Michael Kroger, according to ABC 7.30’s Heather Ewart.
In a report broadcast tonight, Ewart claims Costello and Kroger discussed a return via the electorate of Kooyong, currently held by the promising newcomer Josh Frydenberg. Ewart says they also discussed the possibility of persuading other Liberal members to stand aside in favour of Costello.
Ewart says the discussions are common knowledge amongst Victorian Liberals and have contributed to factional infighting. She says Costello has not spoken with Kroger since word spread and that some Liberals believe Costello was behind the successful move to relegate Kroger’s ex-wife Senator Helen Kroger to the difficult third position on the next Senate ticket. [Read more…]
The Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, has addressed the Victorian division of the Liberal Party in Melbourne. [Read more…]
Margaret Whitlam died, aged 92, on March 17, 2012.
Parliamentary tributes were delivered on March 19. A memorial service was held on March 23.
The former Governor-General, Sir Zelman Cowen, was remembered today at a funeral service in Melbourne.
The service was attended by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former prime minister Malcolm Fraser, who appointed Cowen in December 1977. Former PMs Bob Hawke and John Howard also attended, as did Cowen’s successor as Governor-General, Sir Ninian Stephen. [Read more…]
This Josh Frydenberg’s maiden speech to the House of Representatives as the Liberal member for Kooyong.
Frydenberg won the seat at the 2010 federal election, replacing Petro Georgiou, who had held the seat since 1994. He had unsuccessfully challenged Georgiou for preselection for the 2007 election.
Kooyong is a safe Liberal seat in the inner south-east suburbs of Melbourne. It has never been held by the ALP since its creation in 1901.
Frydenberg, 39, worked as an adviser to Howard government ministers Daryl Williams and Alexander Downer between 1999 and 2003. Between 2003 and 2005, he worked for Prime Minister Howard, before taking up a position as Director of Global Banking with Deutsche Bank. [Read more…]