# First Turnbull ministry

* This article is part of a series about Malcolm Turnbull
Early life and career
Spycatcher trial
OzEmail
Member for Wentworth (2004–2018)
Howard government
2008 Liberal leadership spill
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
OzCar affair
2009 Liberal leadership spill
Abbott government
National Broadband Network
2015 Liberal leadership spill
Prime Minister of Australia
First Ministry
Second Ministry
2016 election
Robodebt scheme
Parliamentary eligibility crisis
Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey
2018 Liberal leadership spills
2018 Wentworth by-election
Australian republican movement :
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The first Turnbull ministry (Liberal–National Coalition) was the 69th ministry of the Government of Australia, led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. It succeeded the Abbott ministry after a leadership spill that took place on 14 September 2015 ended Prime Minister Tony Abbott's leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia. On 15 September, the National Party confirmed, after successful negotiations, that it would continue a coalition agreement with the Liberal Party, guaranteeing the Turnbull government a majority in the Australian House of Representatives.
The Turnbull ministry carried over from its predecessor Abbott ministry, until Turnbull announced significant ministerial changes on 20 September 2015 which took effect the following day. On 29 December 2015, Jamie Briggs resigned from his portfolio following a complaint regarding a late night incident with a public servant; and on the same day, Mal Brough stood aside pending Australian Federal Police investigations into the James Ashby affair.
A second rearrangement was announced on 13 February 2016 following the retirements of Andrew Robb on 10 February 2016 and Warren Truss on 11 February, and the resignations from the ministry of Stuart Robert on 12 February and Mal Brough on 13 February. The second arrangement was sworn in by the Governor-General on 18 February.

## First arrangement

The first arrangement of the Turnbull ministry was sworn in on 21 September 2015 and continued until 18 February 2016. Like the Abbott ministry, the Turnbull ministry contained 30 ministers, but the number of ministers in the cabinet was increased from 19 to 21, with the outer ministry being reduced from 11 to 9. There were five women in the cabinet and there was one woman in the outer ministry. There were an additional 12 assistant ministers, three of which were women.
Minor changes to the Turnbull ministry took place following the resignation of Jamie Briggs and standing down of Mal Brough on 29 December 2015 and continued until 13 February 2016 when a rearrangement took place following the retirements of Andrew Robb (on 10 February 2016) and Warren Truss (on 11 February), and the resignations of Stuart Robert (on 12 February) and Brough (on 13 February).

### Cabinet

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Malcolm Turnbull MP | Prime Minister Leader of the Liberal Party |
| LNP | Warren Truss MP | Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Leader of the National Party (until 11 February 2016) |
| Liberal | Julie Bishop MP | Minister for Foreign Affairs Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party |
| LNP | Senator George Brandis QC | Attorney-General Leader of the Government in the Senate Vice-President of the Executive Council |
| Liberal | Senator Mathias Cormann | Minister for Finance Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate Special Minister of State (acting, from 29 December) |
| Liberal | Scott Morrison MP | Treasurer |
| National | Barnaby Joyce MP | Leader of the National Party (from 11 February 2016) Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Deputy Leader of the National Party (until 11 February 2016) |
| Liberal | Christopher Pyne MP | Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Leader of the House |
| CLP | Senator Nigel Scullion | Minister for Indigenous Affairs Leader of the Nationals in the Senate |
| Liberal | Senator Marise Payne | Minister for Defence Minister for Defence Materiel (acting, from 29 December 2015) |
| Liberal | Sussan Ley MP | Minister for Health Minister for Sport Minister for Aged Care (from 30 September 2015) |
| Liberal | Senator Simon Birmingham | Minister for Education and Training |
| Liberal | Senator Michaelia Cash | Minister for Employment Minister for Women Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Public Service |
| Liberal | Christian Porter MP | Minister for Social Services |
| Liberal | Kelly O'Dwyer MP | Minister for Small Business Assistant Treasurer |
| Liberal | Andrew Robb AO, MP | Minister for Trade and Investment |
| Liberal | Greg Hunt MP | Minister for the Environment Minister for Cities and the Built Environment (acting, from 29 December 2015) |
| LNP | Peter Dutton MP | Minister for Immigration and Border Protection |
| Liberal | Senator Mitch Fifield | Minister for Communications Minister for the Arts Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Government |
| Liberal | Josh Frydenberg MP | Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia |
| Liberal | Senator Arthur Sinodinos AO | Cabinet Secretary |

### Outer ministry

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Paul Fletcher MP | Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects |
| LNP | Steven Ciobo MP | Minister for International Development and the Pacific |
| Liberal | Senator Richard Colbeck | Minister for Tourism and International Education Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment |
| LNP | Mal Brough MP (resigned) | Special Minister of State (until 29 December 2015) Minister for Defence Materiel and Science (until 29 December 2015) |
| Liberal | Jamie Briggs MP (resigned) | Minister for Cities and the Built Environment (until 29 December 2015) |
| National | Senator Fiona Nash | Minister for Rural Health Deputy Leader of the National Party (from 11 February 2016) |
| LNP | Stuart Robert MP | Minister for Veterans' Affairs (until 12 February 2016) Minister for Human Services (until 12 February 2016) Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC (until 12 February 2016) |
| Liberal | Michael Keenan MP | Minister for Justice Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Counter-Terrorism |
| National | Luke Hartsuyker MP | Minister for Vocational Education and Skills Deputy Leader of the House |

### Assistant ministers (parliamentary secretaries)

Assistant ministers (other than the assistant treasurer) are sworn in and designated as parliamentary secretaries under the Ministers of State Act 1952. However, ministers of state who were sworn in as parliamentary secretaries on 21 September 2015 and 30 September 2015 are now referred to by Turnbull as Assistant Ministers to provide greater clarity. Legislation has not been enacted to effect any change.
| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Alan Tudge MP | Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Assistant Minister for Social Services (from 30 September) |
| LNP | Senator James McGrath | Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister |
| Liberal | Dr Peter Hendy MP | Assistant Minister for Productivity |
| Liberal | Senator Scott Ryan | Assistant Cabinet Secretary |
| National | Michael McCormack MP | Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister |
| LNP | Karen Andrews MP | Assistant Minister for Science |
| LNP | Wyatt Roy MP | Assistant Minister for Innovation |
| Liberal | Ken Wyatt AM MP | Assistant Minister for Health (from 30 September) |
| Liberal | Alex Hawke MP | Assistant Minister to the Treasurer |
| Liberal | Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells | Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs |
| Liberal | Senator Anne Ruston | Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources |
| National | Darren Chester MP | Assistant Minister for Defence |

## Second arrangement

A second rearrangement of the Turnbull ministry was announced on 13 February 2016 following the retirements of Andrew Robb on 10 February 2016 and Warren Truss on 11 February, and the resignations of Stuart Robert on 12 February and Mal Brough on 13 February. The new ministry took office on 18 February.
Following the resignation of Truss as the Nationals' leader, Barnaby Joyce became the new National Party leader with effect from 11 February, while Fiona Nash became the National's new deputy leader and the first woman to hold this position. Joyce became the new Deputy Prime Minister with effect from 18 February. The number of Nationals, as cabinet members, increased from three to four with Nash, and Darren Chester becoming cabinet members.
Nash became Minister for Rural Health, Regional Communications and Regional Development. Chester became Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Steven Ciobo became Trade Minister and also moved into the cabinet. Senator Matt Canavan became Minister for Northern Australia. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann retained Special Minister of State in which he had been acting for Mal Brough when Brough had earlier stood aside pending the outcome of Australian Federal Police investigations. Senator Scott Ryan became Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, while Alan Tudge became Minister for Human Services, Dan Tehan became Defence Materiel and Veterans Services Minister. Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells became Minister for International Development and the Pacific. Robb became Special Envoy for Trade until the next election.
The cabinet was increased to 22 ministers, while the outer ministry was reduced to 8. There are six women in the cabinet and another one in the outer ministry and three assistant ministers.

### Cabinet

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Malcolm Turnbull MP | Prime Minister Leader of the Liberal Party |
| National | Barnaby Joyce MP | Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Leader of the National Party |
| Liberal | Julie Bishop MP | Minister for Foreign Affairs Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party |
| National | Senator Fiona Nash | Minister for Regional Development Minister for Regional Communications Minister for Rural Health Deputy Leader of the National Party |
| LNP | Senator George Brandis QC | Attorney-General Leader of the Government in the Senate Vice-President of the Executive Council |
| Liberal | Scott Morrison MP | Treasurer |
| Liberal | Senator Mathias Cormann | Minister for Finance Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate Special Minister of State |
| Liberal | Christopher Pyne MP | Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Leader of the House |
| CLP | Senator Nigel Scullion | Minister for Indigenous Affairs Leader of the Nationals in the Senate |
| LNP | Peter Dutton MP | Minister for Immigration and Border Protection |
| Liberal | Greg Hunt MP | Minister for the Environment |
| Liberal | Sussan Ley MP | Minister for Health Minister for Aged Care Minister for Sport |
| Liberal | Senator Marise Payne | Minister for Defence |
| Liberal | Senator Mitch Fifield | Minister for Communications Minister for the Arts |
| Liberal | Senator Michaelia Cash | Minister for Employment Minister for Women Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Public Service |
| Liberal | Christian Porter MP | Minister for Social Services |
| Liberal | Senator Simon Birmingham | Minister for Education and Training |
| Liberal | Senator Arthur Sinodinos AO | Cabinet Secretary |
| LNP | Steven Ciobo MP | Minister for Trade and Investment |
| National | Darren Chester MP | Minister for Infrastructure and Transport |
| Liberal | Kelly O'Dwyer MP | Minister for Small Business Assistant Treasurer |
| Liberal | Josh Frydenberg MP | Minister for Resources and Energy |

### Outer ministry

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Paul Fletcher MP | Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects |
| Liberal | Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells | Minister for International Development and the Pacific |
| Liberal | Senator Richard Colbeck | Minister for Tourism and International Education Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment |
| Liberal | Michael Keenan MP | Minister for Justice Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Counter-Terrorism |
| LNP | Senator Matt Canavan | Minister for Northern Australia |
| Liberal | Dan Tehan MP | Minister for Veterans' Affairs Minister for Defence Materiel Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC |
| Liberal | Alan Tudge MP | Minister for Human Services |
| Liberal | Senator Scott Ryan | Minister for Vocational Education and Skills |

### Assistant ministers (parliamentary secretaries)

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Senator James McGrath | Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Assistant Minister to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection |
| Liberal | Angus Taylor MP | Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation |
| Liberal | Dr Peter Hendy MP | Assistant Cabinet Secretary Assistant Minister for Finance |
| LNP | Keith Pitt MP | Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister |
| Liberal | Senator Anne Ruston | Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources |
| Liberal | Alex Hawke MP | Assistant Minister to the Treasurer |
| LNP | Karen Andrews MP | Assistant Minister for Science |
| LNP | Wyatt Roy MP | Assistant Minister for Innovation |
| Liberal | Ken Wyatt AM, MP | Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care |
| National | Michael McCormack MP | Assistant Minister for Defence |
| Liberal | Craig Laundy MP | Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs |
| LNP | Jane Prentice MP | Assistant Minister for Disability Affairs |

## Whips

Prime Minister Turnbull announced the promotion of Nola Marino to Chief Government Whip and the promotions of Brett Whiteley and Ewen Jones to Government Whips on 27 September 2015. The Senate whip positions remained unchanged at that time.

### House of Representatives

| Party | Whip | Title |
| Liberal | Nola Marino MP | Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives |
| LNP | Ewen Jones MP | Government Whip in House of Representatives |
| Liberal | Brett Whiteley MP | Government Whip in House of Representatives |
| National | Mark Coulton MP | Nationals Chief Whip in the House of Representatives |
| LNP | George Christensen MP | Nationals Deputy Whip in the House of Representatives |

### Senate

| Party | Whip | Title |
| Liberal | Senator David Bushby | Chief Government Whip in the Senate |
| Liberal | Senator David Fawcett | Deputy Government Whip in the Senate |
| Liberal | Senator Dean Smith | Deputy Government Whip in the Senate |
| LNP | Senator Matt Canavan | Nationals Whip in the Senate |