Labor’s new communications minister has been announced. Senator Stephen Conroy takes on the mantle in the new Rudd ministry, with an altered portfolio.
The previous communications minister Helen Coonan presided over a combined ministry that included Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA). Conroy’s reshaped portfolio ditches ‘arts’ and signals a reworking of the IT priorities into ‘broadband’ and ‘digital economy,’ making it the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE).
Arts will be spun off to Peter Garret who is Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts.
Communications Minister Conroy is expected to move quickly to downgrade the role of the ‘Digital Australia’ group in DCITA, which mostly focused on digital television. Other than disbanding Digital Australia, there were not too many communications policy promises made during the election campaign, leaving the way open for Conroy to shape his own policy in his new portfolio.
Former radio and tv journalist Maxine McKew is rewarded for her role in John Howard’s defeat by becoming ‘top dog in training’ with the position of Parliamentary Secretary for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabvarchar(15).
After the rush of excitement on rado and tv this week from the Canberra Tally Room, things should settle down a little once Prime Minister Rudd and his new ministers will be sworn in next Monday. (picture shows the 2GB team broadcasting from the Canberra Tally Room). Full list of ministers below.
Full Ministry List:
Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Julia Gillard
Treasurer: Wayne Swan
Finance: Lindsay Tanner
Foreign Affairs: Stephen Smith
Defence: Joel Fitzgibbon
Attorney-General: Robert McClelland
Special minister of state, cabvarchar(15) secretary: John Faulkner
Health and Ageing: Nicola Roxon
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs: Jenny Macklin
Environment, Heritage and the Arts: Peter Garrett
Climate Change and Water: Penny Wong
Immigration and Citizenship: Chris Evans
Trade: Simon Crean
Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy: Stephen Conroy
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government: Anthony Albanese
Resources, Energy and Tourism: Martin Ferguson
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: Tony Burke
Human Services: Joseph Ludwig
Innovation, Industry, Science and Research: Kim Carr
Home affairs : Bob Debus
Defence, Science and Personnel: Warren Snowdon
Workforce Participation: Brendan O’Connor
Superannuation and Corporate law: Nick Sherry
Small Business: Craig Emerson
Ageing: Justine Elliot
Housing and Status of Women: Tanya Plibersek
Youth and Sport: Kate Ellis
Veteran Affairs: Alan Griffin
Parliamentary secretaries:
Parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister, Early childhood education and childcare: Maxine McKew
Parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister: Anthony Byrne
Defence procurement: Greg Combet
Defence: Mike Kelly
Infrastructure – Northern and regional Australia: Gary Gray
Disabilities and children services: Bill Shorten
Multicultural affairs and settlement programs: Laurie Ferguson
International development assistance: Bob McMullan
Pacific relations Duncan Kerr
Social inclusion: Ursula Stephens
Trade: John Murphy