Ministerial Changes - Turnbull Ministry - 20 December 2017

Legislation au C2017G01400 In force Gazette

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Government House

Canberra   ACT   2600

 

 

20 December 2017

His Excellency the Governor-General directs it to be notified, for general information, that:

a)     he has revoked the appointments of:

 

  • The Honourable Barnaby Joyce MP as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
  • Senator the Honourable George Brandis QC as Attorney-General and Vice-President of the Executive Council
  • Senator the Honourable Mathias Cormann as Minister for Finance
  • The Honourable Peter Dutton MP as Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
  • The Honourable Greg Hunt MP as Minister for Health and Minister for Sport
  • Senator the Honourable Michaelia Cash as Minister for Employment and Minister for Women
  • Senator the Honourable Arthur Sinodinos AO as Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science
  • The Honourable Christian Porter MP as Minister for Social Services
  • The Honourable Kelly O’Dwyer MP as Minister for Revenue and Financial Services
  • The Honourable Darren Chester MP as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
  • The Honourable Michael Keenan MP as Minister for Justice
  • The Honourable Paul Fletcher MP as Minister for Urban Infrastructure
  • The Honourable Alan Tudge MP as Minister for Human Services
  • The Honourable Dan Tehan MP as Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel
  • The Honourable Michael McCormack MP as Minister for Small Business
  • The Honourable Alex Hawke MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
  • The Honourable Angus Taylor MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
  • The Honourable Keith Pitt MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
  • The Honourable Craig Laundy MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science
  • The Honourable Luke Hartsuyker MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
  • Senator the Honourable Zed Seselja as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Services
  • The Honourable Dr David Gillespie MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health

 

b)     he has sworn in as an Executive Councillor:

 

  • Senator Bridget McKenzie
  • Dr John McVeigh MP
  • Mr David Littleproud MP
  • Mr David Coleman MP
  • Ms Melissa Price MP
  • The Honourable Damian Drum MP

 

c)     he has made the following appointments:

 

  • The Honourable Barnaby Joyce MP as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
  • Senator the Honourable Mathias Cormann as Minister for Finance and Special Minister of State
  • Senator the Honourable Bridget McKenzie as Minister for Rural Health, Minister for Sport and Minister for Regional Communications
  • The Honourable Peter Dutton MP as Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
  • The Honourable Greg Hunt MP as Minister for Health
  • Senator the Honourable Michaelia Cash as Minister for Jobs and Innovation
  • The Honourable Christian Porter MP as Attorney-General
  • The Honourable Kelly O’Dwyer MP as Minister for Revenue and Financial Services and Minister for Women
  • The Honourable Michael Keenan MP as Minister for Human Services
  • The Honourable Dan Tehan MP as Minister for Social Services
  • The Honourable John McVeigh MP as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government
  • The Honourable David Littleproud MP as Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
  • The Honourable Paul Fletcher MP as Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities
  • The Honourable Alan Tudge MP as Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
  • The Honourable Angus Taylor MP as Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity
  • The Honourable Michael McCormack MP as Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel
  • The Honourable Craig Laundy MP as Minister for Small and Family Business, the Workplace and Deregulation
  • The Honourable Alex Hawke MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs
  • The Honourable Luke Hartsuyker MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
  • The Honourable Dr David Gillespie MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Services
  • Senator the Honourable Zed Seselja as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Jobs and Innovation
  • The Honourable Melissa Price MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Energy
  • The Honourable David Coleman MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance
  • The Honourable Damian Drum MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport

 

d)     he has also been pleased to appoint Senator the Honourable Mathias Cormann to be Vice President of the Executive Council.

 

By His Excellency’s Command

Mark Fraser LVO OAM

Official Secretary to the Governor-General

Overview

The Gazette C2017G01400, dated 20 December 2017, details the revocation and reappointment of various ministerial roles within the Australian Government, reflecting a significant restructuring of the executive branch. This Gazette was issued by His Excellency the Governor-General in Canberra and serves to formally notify the public of these changes. The appointments and revocations were made under the authority granted by the Australian Constitution and are intended to address the evolving needs of the government and ensure efficient administration of various portfolios. The policy objective behind these changes is to realign ministerial responsibilities in response to the government's strategic priorities and to provide stability and continuity in the leadership of key departments.

Scope and Application

This notification pertains to the reconfiguration of the Australian Government's ministerial positions, as directed by the Governor-General. The changes involve revoking the previous appointments of certain ministers and parliamentary secretaries, and subsequently appointing new individuals to various ministerial roles. These appointments apply to members of the Australian Parliament, specifically senators and members of parliament, and the roles span across a multitude of sectors including agriculture, finance, health, immigration, and more. The geographic and jurisdictional reach of this Act is national, as it concerns the federal government and its ministers. Notably, the Act does not specify any exclusions or exemptions, and it does not extend or restrict its application through subordinate instruments. This notification outlines the formal changes in the composition of the Executive Council and the reallocation of responsibilities among the ministers, ensuring the continuity of government functions.

Key Provisions

The primary operative sections of this legislation (sections a, b, c, and d) detail the revocation of previous ministerial appointments and the swearing-in of new Executive Councillors, as well as the reappointment and new assignments of ministers within the government. Specifically, section (a) revokes the previous ministerial roles held by several individuals, while section (b) introduces new Executive Councillors. Section (c) then lists the reappointments and new assignments of these ministers, specifying their respective portfolios. Section (d) additionally appoints Senator the Honourable Mathias Cormann as Vice President of the Executive Council, a role previously held by another individual. The Act imposes several obligations and requirements on the parties it governs. Firstly, it mandates the revocation of existing ministerial appointments listed in section (a). This process requires formal notification and documentation to ensure that the previous roles are officially terminated. Section (b) mandates the swearing-in of new Executive Councillors, which involves a formal ceremony and the administration of an oath of office. Section (c) then requires the appointment of individuals to their new roles, including the assignment of specific ministerial portfolios. Finally, section (d) mandates the appointment of Senator the Honourable Mathias Cormann as Vice President of the Executive Council, necessitating the transfer of this role from its previous incumbent. Breaches of the provisions outlined in this legislation could result in various legal consequences. While the text does not specify particular offences or penalties, the revocation and reassignment of ministerial roles are typically governed by broader parliamentary procedures and constitutional provisions. Unauthorized changes to ministerial appointments or the failure to follow proper administrative processes could lead to legal challenges or other consequences under the relevant laws and regulations. However, the specific penalties or consequences for such breaches are not detailed within the text of this particular piece of legislation.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.