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Malcolm Turnbull expected to double the number of women in federal cabinet

The number of women in federal cabinet is predicted to at least double when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announces his new ministry.

The reshuffle, which is expected to be announced today, is tipped to promote several women from the outer ministry, after former PM Tony Abbott was widely criticised for the lack of women in his cabinet.

Human Services Minister Marise Payne and Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash are expected to be promoted to cabinet positions, Fairfax reports.

Human Services Minister Marise Payne is expected to be promoted from the out ministry to cabinet. Source: Getty.
Human Services Minister Marise Payne is expected to be promoted from the out ministry to cabinet. Source: Getty.

Parliamentary secretaries Kelly O'Dwyer and Concetta Fierravanti-Wells are expected to go to the outer ministry.


Such a reshuffle would double the number of women in cabinet, from two to four.

Mr Abbott only appointed one woman, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, to his initial cabinet in 2013. He later added added Sussan Ley, who took over the health portfolio.

Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash is expected to be promoted to a cabinet position. Source: Twitter.
Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash is expected to be promoted to a cabinet position. Source: Twitter.

While Ms Bishop will keep her current profolio, Ms Ley is expected to move on to a new cabinet role, as Turnbull backer Mal Brough has been lobbying for the health portfolio.

GALLERY: Meet the women of the Ministry.
GALLERY: Meet the women of the Ministry.

As for the men, it’s widely anticipated that Social Services Minister Scott Morrison will replace Joe Hockey as treasurer. However Hockey, who will be the highest profile casualty, is expected to remain in cabinet.

Other Abbott supporters such as Employment Minister Eric Abetz and Defence Minister Kevin Andrews are likely to be dumped from the frontbench, and Minister Peter Dutton may also be set to go.

Turnbull supporter Christopher Pyne is tipped to move from the education portfolio to become the Defence Minister.

Party elder Arthur Sinodinos should be set for a frontbench job given his central role in Mr Turnbull's ascension. While coup plotters Mitch Fifield, Simon Birmingham and Scott Ryan are also in line for a possible promotion.

Fairfax reports that not all Abbott backers will suffer in the reshuffle.

Sources expect Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, Small Business Minister Bruce Billson, Environment Minister Greg Hunt, Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Trade Minister Andrew Robb to hold on to their jobs or be shifted to other portfolios.

The Nationals are not expecting to face any great changes in their roles. Warren Truss is set to keep infrastructure and Barnaby Joyce will keep agriculture, while also picking up responsibility for water.

The new ministry will be sworn in on Monday.

Morning news break – September 20