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Assistant Treasurer Arthur Sinodinos’s departure from the front bench had been widely tipped in recent weeks. Source: News Corp Australia
ASSISTANT Treasurer ÂArthur Sinodinos has resigned, clearing the way for Prime Minister Tony Abbott to Âreshuffle his front bench.
Senator Sinodinos quit last night with a parting shot at the PM and Liberal Party national director Brian Loughnane.
He said he had been “confidentially discussing’’ his future with both men in recent weeks with the intention of announcing his departure on Sunday.
“I am disappointed by the reports in today’s newspapers that pre-empt this,’’ he said.
His departure from the front bench had been widely tipped in recent weeks.
Mr Abbott said he accepted Senator Sinodinos’s resignation “with deep regret’’ and would announce his replacement in the next few days.
Victorian parliamentary secretary Josh Frydenberg is considered the frontrunner to take the Assistant Treasurer’s role, ahead of Treasurer Joe Hockey’s preferred candidate, Queensland parliamentary secretary Steve Ciobo.
The job has been vacant since March when Senator ÂSinodinos stood aside after being caught up in a corruption inquiry in NSW.
He said yesterday he hoped to return to the ministry when ICAC released its reports.
Mr Abbott said he was confident Senator Sinodinos would be vindicated when the reports were released.
The senator’s departure paves the way for Mr Abbott to embark on a wider reshuffle, which could see another woman appointed to Cabinet at the expense of under- Âperforming Defence Minister David Johnston.
Assistant Ministers Michaelia Cash and Sussan Ley are tipped for the front bench.
The Prime Minister is understood to be considering over the weekend how wide-ranging his changes should be, and it’s possible a bigger reshuffle is on the cards than MPs had first thought.
If Senator Johnston was to go, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison would be an obvious choice to replace him in the troubled portfolio.
A promotion for Mr Frydenberg would potentially allow Mr Abbott to promote another Victorian backbencher to the role of parliamentary secretary.
Senator Sinodinos, who was chief of staff to former Liberal PM John Howard, has been on the sidelines since before the last Budget.
His decision to resign comes as Mr Abbott continues to remove the political “barnacles’’ which have been dragging his government down, including a lack of strong voices arguing the Government’s economic narrative.