Fed: Govt to fight next election with new front bench

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2000
Fed: Govt to fight next election with new front bench

CANBERRA, Dec 20 AAP - The federal government will fight next year's election with
a new frontbench lineup after a reshuffle which promoted two junior ministers and brought
three new faces into the ministry.

The changes were brought about by the resignation of two of the most senior members
of the government - Defence Minister John Moore and Family and Community Services Minister
Jocelyn Newman.

But Prime Minister John Howard also took the opportunity to dump Aboriginal Affairs
Minister John Herron in order to bring some new blood onto the front bench.

"This is a new line-up for the new millennium," Mr Howard told reporters.

Mr Moore, who served 25 years in parliament, said he would quit politics before parliament
sat again in February next year and return to business, meaning a by-election in his safe
Brisbane seat of Ryan.

Senator Newman is expected to stay on the backbench until the federal election, due next year.

In the reshuffle, Employment Services Minister Tony Abbott was promoted to cabinet
as Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, replacing Peter Reith who moves into Mr
Moore's defence portfolio.

Amanda Vanstone, who was dumped from cabinet in 1997, returns as Minister for Family
and Community Services in place of Senator Newman.

Senator Herron's Aboriginal Affairs portfolio went to Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock
in a move Mr Howard said ensured indigenous affairs would be strongly represented in cabinet.

Labor and the Australian Democrats said the appointment was surprising, given controversy
over his handling of issues such as the treatment of asylum-seekers.

"For the sake of all Australians I hope that Mr Ruddock treats this portfolio with
more respect than he has recently demonstrated," opposition Aboriginal affairs spokesman
Bob McMullan said.

Tasmanian Senator Eric Abetz was promoted to the outer ministry as Special Minister
of State, replacing Chris Ellison who moved to Senator Vanstone's old portfolio of Justice
and Customs.

Queenslander Mal Brough comes into the junior ministry as Employment Services Minister,
while fellow Queenslander Ian Macfarlane becomes Minister for Small Business.

AAP kmh/hu

KEYWORD: RESHUFFLE DAYLEAD

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