PM makes minor Cabinet changes, leaving Anthony Albanese in the transport and infrastructure portfolio
By Brad Gardner | June 28, 2010
Anthony Albanese will go to the federal election as the nation’s transport and infrastructure minister after Prime Minister Julia Gillard decided against significant changes to her frontbench.
Gillard today announced a minor Cabinet reshuffle, giving Trade Minister Simon Crean responsibility for industrial relations and education.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith will take over Crean’s trade responsibilities while continuing in his own portfolio.
“It is best to have as limited a reshuffle as possible to keep the maximum stability amongst the team,” Gillard says.
Gillard, who took over the prime ministership last week, has not ruled out giving Rudd a position on the frontbench.
”I would be absolutely delighted to see him serve as a senior cabinet minister in the team, if the government is re-elected,” she says.
Crean will now look after the introduction of a ‘safe rates’ scheme, which was handled by Gillard when she ran the industrial relations end education portfolio.
A hand-picked advisory group will soon hand an options paper to the Federal Government outlining how a scheme can be introduced to ensure trucking operators and drivers are paid enough to make ends meet.
The Government will then release a discussion paper for public consultation.