Patrick Durrant | Sydney
Updated 1:41pm AEST 21 Sep
The new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has appointed moderate Liberal senator for NSW Marise Payne as the Minister for Defence from today, replacing Kevin Andrews who has held the position since late last year.
Former Minister for Human Services Payne becomes the first woman to have held the portfolio. Payne has been closely involved with Defence in the past few years given her roles as a member of both Joint and Senate committees, including as Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.
Mal Brough will take on the new role of Special Minister of State, Defence Materiel and Science Minister. Brough was previously the Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence from 2003 until 2004 and he was a serving member of the ADF from 1979 until 1987.
Former Army officer Stuart Robert, who has been the Assistant Minister for Defence, will now move into the Veterans Affairs portfolio as well as taking on Payne's former job as Human Services Minister. Darren Chester is now Assistant Minister for Defence, having been Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence.
Andrews, despite saying he was more concerned for the stability and leadership of Defence than his own position, told media he was disappointed by the Prime Minister's decision and as a result of his sacking, Australia will have had more defence ministers than prime ministers in the past three years.
In what appeared to be an attempt to shore up his legacy, and a warning to others not to interfere with what he has set in train, Andrews said "the Defence White Paper is finalised and ready for release".
He said he was proud of his achievements since assuming the role and that the "fragile trust between Defence and Government had been restored".
He listed the achievements as initiating a Competitive Evaluation Process for Australia’s Future Submarine Program, bringing forward the build of the Future Frigate by three years and the Offshore Patrol Vessels by two years, remediating the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) program, and bringing forward the Pacific Patrol Boat tender for 21 boats.
Australian Defence Association executive director Neil James described Payne as a great choice and added that "one of the most important things is that her future is ahead of her".
