Briggs pays tribute to Hockey

The new minister for cities and the built environment Jamie Briggs has paid tribute to former Treasurer Joe Hockey, describing him as "instrumental to me and my career".

"Joe is one of the finest, most caring and loyal people you could ever hope to know," Mr Briggs said in a statement on Monday.

He has also thanked Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for trusting him with the newly-created cities portfolio.

"It is vital that our cities are well-planned, serviced with world-class digital and physical infrastructure and environmentally sustainable so they continue to grow as economic assets," he said.