Changes to the Turnbull front bench

CHANGES TO THE TURNBULL MINISTRY

WINNERS

FIONA NASH

The new deputy Nationals leader is elevated to cabinet and takes on new roles with a regional focus.

DARREN CHESTER

The Gippsland MP becomes the fourth Nationals member of cabinet, taking over the infrastructure and transport portfolios of retiring Nationals leader Warren Truss.

STEVE CIOBO

The Queensland Liberal has landed the important trade portfolio on the recommendation of incumbent Andrew Robb, who will retire at this year's election. Robb has been retained as a special trade envoy and will help Ciobo in the handover.

MATT CANAVAN

The Queensland Nationals senator becomes northern Australia minister, working with cabinet minister Josh Frydenberg.

DAN TEHAN

The Liberal member for the Victorian regional seat of Wannon, Tehan has been promoted from the back bench to take over as veterans' affairs and defence materiel minister.

CONCETTA FIERRAVANTI-WELLS

The NSW senator has gone from the assistant ministry to become a fully fledged front bencher, taking over international development and the Pacific portfolio from the new trade minister.

OTHERS

Craig Laundy, Jane Prentice, Angus Taylor and Keith Pitt get to try out for higher responsibilities as assistant ministers.

GONE

JAMIE BRIGGS

The former cities minister was banished from the front bench just after Christmas following a Hong Kong bar scandal involving a young DFAT staffer. It embarrassed him and the government.

MAL BROUGH

The timing was all wrong for Brough to return as special minister of state and defence materiel and science minister. He stood down just before Christmas, pending the outcome of an Australian Federal Police investigation into the Slipper saga. But with no end in sight, he decided to quit on Saturday, allowing the PM to fill those ministries.

STUART ROBERT

The low-profile human services minister was the third in Turnbull's team to get the axe in just five months. He lost his job over his "private" trip to China with a Liberal party donor and his involvement with a mining company.

LUKE HARTSUYKER

The former vocational education and skills minister was the only surprise loser of the day. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hinted it was a decision of the Nationals.

RETIRED

WARREN TRUSS

The mild-mannered Queenslander announced his retirement as Nationals leader last week, and therefore as deputy PM and infrastructure and regional development minister.

ANDREW ROBB

The trade minister announced on the same day he would retire at the next election. In an unusual move, his trade portfolio is going to Steve Ciobo, but he is staying as a special trade envoy while helping Ciobo make the transition.