One positive move to come out of the political turmoil of the past week has been the return of the Industry and Science portfolios to the Cabinet under the new Morrison Ministry.

Karen Andrews MP is the new Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, resurrecting a role that had previously been subsumed into the Jobs Ministry.

Andrews is Federal Member for McPherson, and was formerly Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills. She says: “I look forward to drawing on my background as a mechanical engineer to carry out my new ministerial role.”

Interestingly, the Minister previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Science and Assistant Minister for Science, and says she is looking forward to progressing the Government’s work in this area.

Responding, Shadow Minister Senator Kim Carr congratulated Karen Andrews on her appointment but pointed out that she would be the sixth Coalition Minister for Industry and Science in the past five years.

Senator Carr also highlighted the fact that the return of the Industry and Science portfolios to the Cabinet seems to have come at the expense of the Innovation portfolio, which now sees its turn outside the cabinet room.

“Under Tony Abbott, the word ‘innovation’ was all but banned,” he said. “Then, under Malcolm Turnbull it briefly became almost compulsory.”

Industry Update is pleased to announce that Minister Andrews has agreed to continue to contribute a regular column to the magazine, starting with the October 2018 edition.