Commonwealth Government Ministry changes

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced changes to his Ministry following the resignation of Joel Fitzgibbon and his replacement by Senator the Hon John Faulkner as Minister for Defence.

The changes include:

• Senator the Hon Joseph Ludwig will become Cabinet Secretary and Special Minister of State;
• The Hon Chris Bowen MP will enter Cabinet and be appointed Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law, and Minister for Human Services;
• The Hon Dr Craig Emerson MP, Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy and Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation, will also become Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs;
• Senator the Hon Nick Sherry will be appointed Assistant Treasurer;
• The Hon Brendan O’Connor MP will be appointed Minister for Home Affairs, replacing the Hon Bob Debus MP who is retiring at the next election;
• The Hon Warren Snowdon MP will be appointed Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery;
• The Hon Kate Ellis MP will be appointed Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth and will continue as Minister for Sport;
• The Hon Greg Combet AM MP will enter the Ministry as the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science and the Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change;
• Senator the Hon Mark Arbib will enter the Ministry as the Minister for Employment Participation and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Government Service Delivery;
• The Hon Maxine McKew MP will become Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government;
• The Hon Gary Gray AO MP has been appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Western and Northern Australia;
• Jason Clare MP will be appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Employment;
• Mark Butler MP will be appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Health;
• Richard Marles MP will be appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation.