(Bloomberg) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a reshuffle of his cabinet after his industry minister resigned last month, as he seeks to solidify his conservative government's leadership team ahead of next year's election.
Angus Taylor, who will remain in his energy portfolio, will add to his responsibilities by replacing Christian Porter as industry minister. Porter quit after disclosing that he'd accepted an anonymous donation to help cover legal fees in a defamation case.
In other changes, Defence Minister Melissa Price will also take on the science and technology portfolio, while Immigration Minister Alex Hawke will be promoted to the Cabinet.
“These changes provide a timely opportunity to reinforce some of the key issues that the government is progressing,” Morrison told reporters in Canberra on Friday.
Morrison's ruling Liberal-National coalition trails in opinion polls to the main Labor opposition ahead of an election that must be held by May. His leadership credentials have been questioned amid criticism of his government's initially tardy vaccine rollout, as well as accusations he hasn't done enough to implement tougher climate-change policies and address gender-discrimination issues.
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In a reshuffle earlier this year, Porter stepped down from his role as Attorney-General after vigorously denying allegations that he raped a fellow school debating-team member in the 1980s.
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