CANBERRA, Australia -- Australia's new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday announced changes to his first Cabinet and promoted more women, including Australia's first female defense minister.
Turnbull increased the number of female Cabinet ministers from two to five, including Defense Minister Marise Payne.
The government's chief economics minister, Treasurer Joe Hockey, has been replaced by Social Services Minister Scott Morrison.
The center-right government's popularity crashed in opinion polls and never recovered after Hockey unveiled his first annual budget in May last year. The budget was widely criticized as unfair toward the poor, and a hostile Senate blocked key measures.
Turnbull, the former communications minister, replaced his predecessor Tony Abbott as prime minister in a surprise leadership vote of the ruling Liberal Party lawmakers on Sept. 14.
In challenging Abbott's leadership, Turnbull indirectly attacked Hockey with the criticism that "the government is not successful in providing the economic leadership that we need."
Turnbull said Hockey would quit politics. Abbott was also excluded from the new 21-member Cabinet. Abbott's Cabinet had 19 ministers.
"Today I'm announcing a 21st century government and a ministry for the future," Turnbull said. "The changes I'm announcing are very extensive."
Abbott was widely criticized for including only one woman in his first Cabinet in 2013, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, the Liberal Party deputy leader. She was later joined by Health Minister Sussan Ley.
Both women retained their positions in Turnbull's Cabinet. They were joined by newcomers Payne, Minister for Women Michaelia Cash and Minister for Small Business Kelly O'Dwyer.
Turnbull has also reintroduced a science minister, a portfolio scrapped by Abbott. Chris Pyne, the former minister for education and training, will become the minister for industry, innovation and science.
Turnbull also said today that he is in no hurry to sever the nation's constitutional links to Britain by appointing an Australian president as head of state.
Turnbull led the Australian Republican Movement, an advocacy group, when it failed at a 1999 referendum to persuade Australians to replace Queen Elizabeth II as Australia's head of state.
But six days after becoming prime minister, Turnbull said he had no plans to revisit the divisive constitutional issue.
Governor General Peter Cosgrove, the British monarch's representative in Australia, swore in Turnbull's first 21-member Cabinet today.
A Section on 09/21/2015