Libs resurrect Bishop, Andrews, Ruddock

The Rudd government is casting the new Liberal front bench as a bunch of
out-of-touch extremists after Tony Abbott resurrected the political careers of
Bronwyn Bishop, Kevin Andrews and Philip Ruddock.

The former Howard government ministers have been given key roles in the shadow
ministry, which has seen the elevation of a big number of conservatives in what's
being seen as a shift to the right.
As the coalition's face of welfare, Mr Andrews will take on families, housing and
human services, and Ms Bishop, who was involved in the famous kerosene baths scandal
as former aged care minister, will be responsible for seniors.
Mr Ruddock is the shadow cabinet secretary.
Mr Abbott acknowledged their controversial pasts.
"All three of them in their own ways have been polarising but they all have a lot to
contribute," he told reporters.
Nick Minchin, Eric Abetz, Cory Bernardi, Barnaby Joyce and Mathias Cormann - vocal
opponents of former leader Malcolm Turnbull's climate change stand - have all been
big winners in the reshuffle.
Mr Turnbull's chief lieutenants - Michael Ronaldson, Steve Ciobo and Michael Keenan
- have all been dumped from shadow cabinet.
Mr Abbott argued his was a balanced outfit but accepted some people had "shifted".
"Inevitably, if you're going to have a new team, there has to be some change," he said.
The government's key hard man, Anthony Albanese, launched the Rudd government attack
on the new line-up.
"This is a front bench in which climate change deniers and extremists have been
promoted and those with more modern views have been demoted," he told reporters.
"This is a front bench that is out of touch with modern needs.
"The fact that Bronwyn Bishop has been returned to the front bench ... shows how
out of touch Tony Abbott is."
A staunch conservative, Senator Abetz will take over the sensitive portfolio of
workplace relations.
Mr Abbott insisted Work Choices was dead but said business needed to have the
capacity to create jobs.
"It's one thing to accept that the issue had been mishandled in our last term of
government. It's another thing to be happy about the re-regulation of the labour
market, which is now occurring," he said.
Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard said Senator Abetz's appointment should
be a worry to Australian workers.
"(It) is the clearest sign yet from Tony Abbott that he wants to impose an extreme
workplace relations policy on the Australian people once again," she said.
Senator Joyce - the Nationals Senate leader and Australia's best "retail politician"
according to Mr Abbott - will join the front bench in finance.
Treasurer Wayne Swan immediately called into question Senator Joyce's ability to
commit to responsible financial management.
Senator Minchin, a key backroom player in the downfall of Malcolm Turnbull, will
gain control of the important energy and resources portfolio.
Mr Abbott said his new "campaigning" team was designed to take the fight up to the
Rudd government.
"Over the last week, we have seen the coalition move from being a government in
exile, unsure of its role, to being a fair dinkum opposition," Mr Abbott said.
"Today, I am announcing a new team that will be focused on criticising the
government rather than speculating about ourselves."
Mr Abbott believes the government is vulnerable, citing comfortable Liberal wins in
the weekend by-elections in Higgins and Bradfield.
Two moderates who've been given important jobs are Greg Hunt in the climate action
portfolio and Scott Morrison in immigration.
Mr Hunt, a past supporter of an emissions trading scheme, will have a difficult job,
with Mr Abbott promising a climate change policy by February after ruling out an
emissions trading scheme or carbon tax.