The prime minister is set to reshuffle his cabinet for the first time today, announcing two new ministers, and some ministers are expected to be moved from their portfolios.
The big change came after two of Labour’s most prominent members, Brendan O’Connor and Linda Burney, announced they would retire at the next election.
Sky News reported that Senator McCarthy is likely to become the new Minister for Indigenous Peoples in Australia.
It is believed that Immigration Minister Andrew Giles and Home Affairs Minister Claire O’Neill could be moved from their ministerial positions in the reshuffle to new portfolios.
But the cabinet reshuffle is expected to be minor, with key portfolios remaining in the hands of the same officials.
Senator Malarandiri McCarthy becomes a minister in the Albanian government on Sunday. Photo: NewsWire/Martin Ollman
Senator McAllister becomes assistant secretary on Sunday. Photo: NewsWire/Martin Ollman
Richard Marles is likely to remain in the defence role, Jim Chalmers will remain as treasurer and Chris Bowen is likely to remain in the energy role, Sky News reported.
There is also growing speculation about a possible reorganisation of the Interior Ministry.
Speaking to Sky News on Sunday morning, Marles refused to rule out the possibility of a management redesign.
“Everything will be revealed, and I will not anticipate any of this,” he said.
Ms O’Neill and Mr Giles have faced months of criticism after a series of failures in their posts, including a High Court ruling in NZYQ that forced the release of immigration detainees, some of whom had committed crimes against Australians.
The cabinet reshuffle comes as the government prepares for elections expected in 2025.
Senator Murray Watt could be moved to a new role in today’s cabinet reshuffle. Photo: NewsWire/Martin Ollman
“There is an opportunity to renew the front row, and the prime minister is seizing that opportunity,” Mr Marles said.
“This comes after a remarkable stability for the ministry in the first term of the Albanian government.”
Sky News also expects current Agriculture Minister Murray Watt to be promoted to Home Affairs Minister.
Liberal Senator James Paterson, responding to the motion in an agenda, said he feared Mr Watt would be “worse” than Ms O’Neill in the role.
Senator Paterson said Mr Watt was opposed to offshore processing, referring to a motion the Queensland senator tabled at the 2015 Labor Party conference opposing the policy.
Ms McAllister has been a Senator since 2015. She served as National Chair of the Labor Party between 2011 and 2015.
Ms McCarthy is a Yanyuwa woman from the Gulf State in the Northern Territory.
She was elected to the Senate in 2016 and again in 2019. Before politics, she worked as a journalist with the ABC, then SBS and NITV.
