Promising a stable government to Australians, Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott today unveiled a 20-member Cabinet with the lone woman representative to become the Foreign Minister.
“It is, I believe, one of the most experienced incoming ministries in our history, and I think it’s important to have experience as you move from Opposition to Government,” Abbott said, in his first news conference, since his election on September 7.
Abbott will become Australia’s third Prime Minister in three months when he is sworn into power by the country’s governor-general early this week.
After the previous Labor Government switched prime ministers twice in three years, Abbott has promised a methodical government.
Deputy Liberal Leader Julie Bishop will be the only woman in Abbott’s cabinet. She will become Foreign Minister.
Abbott said West Australian Senator Mathias Cormann was promoted into Cabinet as Finance Minister.
Arthur Sinodinos, who had been tipped to take the finance portfolio, was instead promoted into the junior ministry. Andrew Robb, who was the Coalition’s spokesman for finance in opposition, was named as Trade Minister.
Other positions include Joe Hockey as Treasurer, Malcolm Turnbull as Communications Minister, Peter Dutton as Health Minister, Christopher Pyne as Education Minister, Scott Morrison as Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, and Greg Hunt as Environment Minister.
Abbott has also nominated Liberal Party stalwart Bronwyn Bishop to become Speaker of the new parliament.