I have decided to recommend to the Governor-General a number of changes to ministerial and administrative arrangements.
The new ministry is a strong team which reflects the depth of talent available to the Coalition.
I am pleased to welcome to the Cabinet Dr David Kemp as Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Mr Daryl Williams as Attorney-General and Mr Mark Vaile, MP, as Minister for Transport and Regional Development.
There will also be changes in the responsibilities of some ministers.
Mrs Judi Moylan will become Minister for the Status of Women. Women's issues will thus receive the full-time attention of a minister within my portfolio. Mr Warwick Smith will replace Mrs Moylan as the Minister for Family Services. Senator Amanda Vanstone will become Minister for Justice in the Attorney-General's portfolio. Senator Chris Ellison will replace Dr Kemp as Minister for Schools, Vocational Education and Training.
Two parliamentary secretaries, Senator Nick Minchin and Mr Andrew Thomson, will be appointed as ministers. Senator Minchin will have responsibilities within the renamed Finance and Administration portfolio as Special Minister of State. He will continue to be responsible to me for Native Title matters and the Constitutional Convention. Mr Thomson is to be given responsibility for sport and tourism and will assist me in relation to the Sydney 2000 Games.
Also joining the ministry will be Mr Warren Truss, MP, as Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs and Deputy Leader of the House, and Mr Alex Somlyay, MP, as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government.
I will be appointing Senator Judith Troeth and Mrs Kathryn Sullivan, MP, as parliamentary secretaries.
I will also be recommending to the Governor-General some adjustments to departmental arrangements.
The Department of Administrative Services will be abolished and its functions divided among several other portfolios. A range of Commonwealth common services functions, the Australian Electoral Commission and the Commonwealth Grants Commission will be within the Finance and Administration portfolio.
Some scientific organisations until now located in the Administrative Services portfolio will move to the renamed Industry, Science and Technology portfolio. The Australian Valuation Office will be associated with the Taxation Office and I will take responsibility for awards and national symbols.
Some elements of the Transport and Regional Development Department which deal with maritime matters will move to the Department of Workplace Relations and Small Business, where maritime reform will continue to be a major policy priority under Mr Reith.
The Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories will in future concentrate on its core functions associated with the environment and will be renamed accordingly. Responsibility for sport will move to the Department of Industry, Science and Technology, where its association with tourism under Mr Thomson will be particularly beneficial in the lead up to the Olympic Games. Territories and local government will move to the Department of Transport and Regional Development, where Mr Somlyay will be responsible for a strengthened emphasis on co-ordination of regional development policies.
There will be an Executive Council meeting and swearing-in ceremony at Government House, Canberra, at 10.00am on Thursday, 9 October.
5 October 1997