Campbell demoted in Howard frontbench reshuffle

Western Australian Liberal powerbroker Ian Campbell has lost his Environment and Heritage portfolio while Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone was dropped from cabinet in today's ministerial reshuffle.

Under changes announced by Prime Minister John Howard, former merchant banker Malcolm Turnbull will add his current focus on water resources to a revamped Environment portfolio, while Senator Campbell will become Minister for Human Services.

The portfolio has been elevated to a cabinet post "in order to assist functional arrangements", according to an announcement released by the Prime Minister this afternoon. (Please note we incorrectly reported earlier that Mr Campbell was dropped from cabinet.)

Joining Mr Turnbull in cabinet will be perennial favourite of Channel 7's Sunrise program, and former Human Services Minister Joe Hockey, taking on Employment and Workplace Relations - a portfolio widely seen as crucial to the government's re-election prospects.

Mr Hockey replaces the lacklustre Kevin Andrews, who will become the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship - the Prime Minister dropping the portfolio's previous reference to Multicultural Affairs.

"The whole purpose of immigration is to recruit more people to the broader Australian family," Mr Howard said.

In a press conference delivered this morning, Mr Howard thanked Senator Vanstone for her service as a minister since the election of the coalition government in 1996.

"She's made a wonderful contribution to the government and Australia."

Mr Howard hinted she may be in line for a diplomatic posting, saying she "retains an enthusiasm for future public service".

Also facing the axe was the underperforming Vocational and Technical Education Minister Gary Hardgrave, who Mr Howard said would face a difficult fight for his seat Queensland seat of Moreton.

He was replaced by Victorian Liberal MP Andrew Robb.

Arts and Sports Minister Rod Kemp, who is retiring at the next election, was also dropped, to be replaced by Queensland Liberal Senator George Brandis.

And it appears Nationals MP John Cobb may have paid the price for claims of continued underperformance in the Community Services portfolio, being dumped from the position in favour of Northern Territory Country Liberal Party senator Nigel Scullion.

Mr Cobb attracted controversy last year when he allegedly told a group of people with disabilities that if he had a disabled child he would send it to live in an institution.

He has been demoted to Assistant Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, a role which replaces the previous Parliamentary Secretary's position and, according to Mr Howard, recognises the particular responsibilities he will have and his relative seniority.

Mr Howard extended the same courtesy to the parliamentary secretary for Health and Ageing, South Australian Liberal up-and-comer Christopher Pyne, who will assume the role of assistant minister in that portfolio.

The reshuffle also created two new parliamentary secretary positions.

Queensland Liberal Peter Lindsay has been made Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, replacing New South Wales Nationals Senator Sandy MacDonald, who will resign from parliament at the next election.

Victorian Liberal Tony Smith has been made Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, replacing Mr Turnbull.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment and Heritage, Victorian Liberal Greg Hunt, will become Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

He will replace Queensland Liberal Teresa Gambaro, who will become Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.

The new ministers and parliamentary secretaries will be sworn in next Tuesday, Mr Howard said.

Below is Prime Minister's full announcement:

His Excellency the Governor-General has agreed to my announcing the following changes to the Ministry and the Administrative Arrangements Order.

The changes include two promotions to Cabinet, three new appointments to the outer Ministry and two new Parliamentary Secretaries.

Senator the Honourable Amanda Vanstone leaves the Ministry. I want to thank her for her extensive and very capable service in a number of portfolios since 1996. Amanda has made a wonderful contribution to the Government and Australia. She retains strong enthusiasm for public service.

The Honourable Gary Hardgrave MP will also leave the Ministry. I thank him for his work as Minister for Vocational and Technical Education particularly in relation to Australian Technical Colleges and previously as Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. He will be contesting the next election in what will be a difficult fight and I am confident that he will retain the seat and continue with a successful parliamentary career.

Senator the Honourable Rod Kemp, Minister for the Arts and Sport and Senator the Honourable Sandy Macdonald, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, have both indicated a preparedness to step down as they are not proposing to contest the next election. I extend to both of them my thanks for their effective work on behalf of the Government. Rod Kemp has been a Minister in my government for more than ten years. He has been an effective and loyal member of the team.

Within the Cabinet, a number of changes will take place. The Honourable Malcolm Turnbull MP will be appointed to the position of Minister for The Environment and Water Resources. He will replace Senator the Honourable Ian Campbell who will assume the position of Minister for Human Services. In addition the Honourable Kevin Andrews MP becomes Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. Mr Andrews' position as Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations will be assumed by the Honourable Joe Hockey MP, the current Minister for Human Services.

Both Mr Turnbull and Mr Hockey have performed very strongly in their existing portfolios and both now take on important new responsibilities.

Changes will be made to the names of two departments. The existing Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs will become the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. The existing Department of the Environment and Heritage will become the Department of The Environment and Water Resources.

In order to assist functional arrangements, the Department, and therefore the Minister, for Human Services, will be placed within the Cabinet grouping.

Within the outer Ministry the Honourable Andrew Robb MP will be appointed to the Ministry of Vocational and Further Education. The position of Minister for the Arts and Sport will be filled by Senator George Brandis SC of Queensland, a new appointment to the ministerial team.

The other change to the Ministry is the appointment of Senator Nigel Scullion, Senator for the Northern Territory, to the portfolio of Minister for Community Services, in place of the Honourable John Cobb MP.

New appointments to the position of Parliamentary Secretary are Mr Peter Lindsay MP who becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence and Mr Tony Smith MP who becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

In relation to the remaining parliamentary secretaries the following changes will occur. The Honourable Greg Hunt MP will become Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Honourable Teresa Gambaro MP will become Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.

As is currently the position there will be twelve parliamentary secretaries within the new ministerial arrangements. One innovation is the designation of two of those twelve parliamentary secretaries as Assistant Ministers in recognition of particular responsibilities they will each have and their relative seniority.

The two appointments are that of the Honourable John Cobb MP, currently Minister for Community Services, to be appointed Parliamentary Secretary as Assistant Minister for The Environment and Water Resources. The Honourable Christopher Pyne MP, currently the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing will be designated an Assistant Minister.

The swearing in of new Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries will take place next Tuesday, the 30th January 2007.

The new and former ministries are below: