Was the extraordinarily complicated Cabinet and outer Ministry reshuffle part of a ploy to stretch the Coalition front-bench’s capacity to shadow Ministerial portfolios? Dennis Shanahan & Patricia Karvelas argue that it wrongfoots Abbott very effectively with his own front-bench plans.
It certainly looks like something else was on their mind beyond just filling portfolios according to factional balances and policy goals, given yesterday’s gaffes regarding the omission of the Ministries for the Status of Women and Indigenous Health. Now we are told that Kate Ellis will take responsibility for Status of Women and that this was just an error in the press release, and last night Nicola Roxon told Lateline that Warren Snowdon actually will continue as Minister for Indigenous Health alongside his new portfolio of Veterans Affairs.
So, are Shanahan & Karvelas too cynical, or not cynical enough?
Media Circus: 4chan meltdown has begun #electionday edition 
Grabbing somebody is Assault, and sexual touch makes it Sexual Assault. Stop minimising this. #rapeculture101 
Media Circus: Parliament Resumes Edition 
Hoyden About Town 
Not entirely on-topic, but interesting: Lindsay Tanner has just signed a book deal.
Abbott has announced his Shadow Ministry – Peter Martin has put it up on Scribd.
I’m embedding it below but I don’t know how it will work:
Abbott Shadow Ministry http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=37394132&access_key=key-ir0ddbyjjf73j9hv5at&page=1&viewMode=list