Extra women in ministry a positive: Labor

Malcolm Turnbull's promotion of more women in his ministry is positive, but Labor is still doing better, deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek says.

"I'm always pleased to see more women rising through the ranks but ... we're always doing better," she told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

There are now six women in cabinet with the promotion of the Nationals' new deputy leader Fiona Nash while Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells has been elevated to the outer ministry.