Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s cabinet reshuffle has included the reinstatement of a portfolio dedicated to Local Government.
Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher, is to be sworn in today as Minister for Territories, Local Government, and Major Projects.
The front bench position was removed after the election of the Coalition Government in 2013, and had fallen under the responsibilities of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Warren Truss.
Mr Truss has retained his portfolio in the reshuffle.
Mr Fletcher had previously worked closely with Malcolm Turnbull as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications.
Before entering parliament, Mr Fletcher founded Fletchergroup Advisers, a strategy consultancy working in the communications industry.
The parliamentary reshuffle has also included the appointment of Jamie Briggs as Minister for Cities and Built Environment.
Malcolm Turnbull said in a doorstop interview yesterday that a Federal focus on cities is a new strategy, and aims to coincide with State and Local Government operations.
“Now of course, we have a Minister for Regional Development and the Deputy Prime Minister, Warren Truss, but cities have been overlooked, I believe, historically from the Federal perspective.
“So within the Ministry of Environment, I’m appointing the Honourable Jamie Briggs MP to be the Minister for Cities and the Built Environment, to work with Greg Hunt, the Environment Minister, to develop a new Australian Government agenda for our cities in cooperation with States, Local Governments and urban communities.”
