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| Kevin Andrews (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons) |
By Ankit Panda
Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s first cabinet reshuffle will bring in a new defense minister.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will replace current Defense Minister David Johnston with Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews as part of the first set of changes to his Cabinet. Additional changes include appointing Josh Frydenberg, who will replace Arthur Sinodinos as assistant treasurer, and moving Health Minister Peter Dutton to take over the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Sussan Ley, the Assistant Education Minister, will take over the Ministry for Health and Sport as part of the reshuffle, becoming the second cabinet-level woman in Australia after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Johnston stepping down as defense minister comes after he faced a spate of criticism. Most recently, last month, Johnston criticized the Australian Submarine Corporation, a domestic, state-run submarine manufacturing firm, saying he would not trust it to “build a canoe.” As a result of Johnston’s gaffe, Abbott’s office was forced into damage control mode and issued a statement noting that ”the Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) plays a vital role supporting the Royal Australian Navy and our key naval capabilities.”
Read the full story at The Diplomat