The Aged Care Minister has been promoted to the front bench, while the NDIS goes to Amanda Rishworth and Anne Aly.
With Bill Shorten leaving Parliament on Monday – a week earlier than expected – prime minister Anthony Albanese has reshuffled his cabinet, giving the NDIS to Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and government services, including Services Australia, to Finance Minister Katy Gallagher.
Aged Care (and Sport) Minister Anika Wells is arguably the big winner of the shake-up, promoted to the front bench, and Anne Aly, the minister for Early Childhood Education, will become junior NDIS minister.
Mr Albanese heaped praise on Ms Wells saying she had “done an outstanding job”, particularly with aged care reform.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton is also looking to refresh his team, following the departures of Senate leader and foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham, and government services shadow Paul Fletcher.
Ms Wells becomes the third Queenslander in the cabinet, joining Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Employment Minister Murray Watt.
Mr Albanese did his best during this morning’s press conference to reassure Australians that Mr Shorten’s departure would not weaken the NDIS.
“When Labor established the NDIS, we made a promise to people with disability, to families and to carers, not to leave you behind. We will keep that promise,” he said.
“As a country, we still have a long way to go to take responsibility for ensuring that people with a disability are seen and treated equally in health, in education and in employment.
“The NDIS has changed so many lives, but there is much work still to do, because the truth is, under the former government, the scheme did lose its way.”
Senator Gallagher said she would “continue to protect and deliver” on government services, saying a Coalition government would cut funding.
“All Australians rely upon a strong and well-resourced public service that should be there to support them when they need it,” she said.
“From pensions and payments to Medicare, veterans’ pensions to disability support, government services are there to support Australians when they need it most … You can’t cut the public service without cutting the services Australians rely on every single day.”
The new ministry will be sworn in by Governor-General Sam Mostyn at 9.30am on Monday.