With political stalwart Bill Shorten set to step away from parliament in the coming days, his National Disability Insurance Scheme and government services portfolios have been reallocated, in a boost to some of his colleagues.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth will pick up the NDIS, while Finance Minister Katy Gallagher adds government services - including Centrelink - to her fold and Anne Aly will become junior NDIS minister.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher adds government services - including Centrelink - to her portfolios. (Dominic Giannini/AAP PHOTOS)
Aged Care and Sport Minister Anika Wells will be promoted to the cabinet, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighting her work throughout the Olympics and aged care reforms.
"Anika Wells has done an outstanding job," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
Ms Rishworth and Senator Gallagher paid tribute to Mr Shorten and said they looked forward to taking on the new roles.
The two noted his tireless work in championing the NDIS and uncovering the previous Liberal government's robodebt scandal.
"Minister Shorten has been a passionate and tireless advocate for people with disability - and leaves big shoes to fill," Ms Rishworth said.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth picks up the NDIS from the departing Bill Shorten. (Jacob Shteyman/AAP PHOTOS)
The newly promoted ministers will be put to the test, with a federal election due to occur some time before May 17.
While female representation has been boosted in the government's A-team, there are concerns the coalition is failing to address its gender imbalance and pre-selection issues over a key seat have brought the issue back to the forefront.
The electorate of Bradfield in Sydney's north has historically been a blue-ribbon seat for the Liberal party, but in recent years it has faced serious challenges from teal independent Nicolette Boele.
Many of the Liberals' historically safe seats were already taken by female teal independents at the 2022 election and, with Bradfield's Liberal MP Paul Fletcher announcing his retirement at the next vote, the coalition is reportedly split over his replacement.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott and senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price are backing Nyunggai Warren Mundine, while opposition deputy leader Sussan Ley and former treasurer Joe Hockey have endorsed Gisele Kapterian, a tech company director.
Jane Hume says it's nonsense to suggest the coalition continually picks men for safe seats. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)
Women make up less than one-third of the coalition's MPs and senators, whereas more than half of Labor's federal parliamentarians are women.
Though the coalition has previously set gender targets, it has been accused of continually picking men for safe seats held by retiring MPs.
But opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume claimed it was "nonsense", listed some of the coalition's female candidates and noted that retiring MPs were not only concentrated in safe seats.
"There's no such thing as a safe seat anymore," she told ABC radio.
"Of the seats that we are trying to win - and there are plenty of them - there are some extraordinary women."
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