Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I table for the information of the Senate a revised ministry list. I seek leave to have the document incorporated in Hansard and also to make a short statement regarding government leadership positions in the Senate.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

Commonwealth Government

30 October 2020

SECOND M ORRISON MINISTRY

Each box represents a portfolio. Cabinet Ministers are shown in bold type. As a general rule, there is one department in each portfolio. However, there can be two departments in one portfolio. The title of a department does not necessarily reflect the title of a Minister in all cases. Ministers are sworn to administer the portfolio in which they are listed under the ‘Minister’ column and may also be sworn to administer other portfolios in which they are not listed. Assistant Ministers in italics are designated as Parliamentary Secretaries under the Ministers of State Act 1952.

I advise the Senate that the updated ministry list reflects the updated ministry following my appointment as Minister for Finance on 30 October 2020. Updated representation arrangements are outlined in the ministry list. I also advise the Senate that I have been appointed Leader of the Government in the Senate and Senator Cash has been appointed Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate. I congratulate Senator Cash upon her appointment.

This chamber and its practices are crucial to the good functioning of our country, our government and, particularly, this parliament. Senator Cash and I, as the government's leadership team in this place, look forward to working hard across the chamber with all parties and representatives to seek to achieve the best possible outcomes and to uphold the traditions and practices of the Senate. I thank the Senate.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I congratulate Senator Birmingham on his appointment as Leader of the Government in the Senate and also Senator Cash as deputy. It is a very great honour and a very weighty responsibility to lead a party in this chamber, and I welcome him to this table and look forward to working with him and against him.

I'll make a brief comment. There is a fine tradition of leaders in the government in this place from my home state of South Australia. We've had Senator Nick Minchin and, of course, Senator Birmingham's mentor, Senator Robert Hill. I of course trust that, like Senator Hill, Senator Birmingham will be a voice of moderation from his new position. I am advised that this is the first time since the first decade of Federation that the leaders of government and opposition have both been South Australians, so we have a unity ticket on this being a great day. I look forward to working, as I said, with and against Senator Birmingham in his role, and I congratulate him on his appointment.

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—On behalf of the Australian Greens, congratulations, Senator Birmingham and Senator Cash, on your elevation. It's good to see a woman in the leadership team from your side of politics, and we look forward to engaging strongly on climate, inequality and all the other issues that this chamber should spend more time talking about.