New government, no science portfolio

The incoming ministry for the new federal government has been revealed with the naming of portfolios simplified and some, like science, omitted.

It is the first time since the science portfolio was created in 1931 that Australia does not have a parliamentary minister responsible for the sciences.

The new Minister for Industry, Ian Macfarlane, will hold a portfolio that also includes resources, energy and innovation. The CSIRO will fall under Macfarlane’s portfolio. But whether he will be given charge of the broader science portfolio, such as the management of scientific organisations like the Australian Research Council, is not yet clear.

Sofie Mirabella, who held the position of industry, innovation and science minister in opposition for the last four years, was expected to be given the science portfolio, but with her seat remaining undecided she has withdrawn from the ministry.

It may be that the science portfolio is shared between Macfarlane and the new Minister for Education, Christopher Pyne.

As expected, Queensland-based Peter Dutton has been appointed health minister. Dutton will also take up the new Ministry for Sport, which has been moved from the outer ministry into cabinet.

Other appointments include Greg Hunt as Minister for the Environment and Deputy Leader of the National Party, Barnaby Joyce, as Minister for Agriculture.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his first ministry will be sworn in this week.