Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a ministerial shake-up, handing Finance minister Katy Gallagher responsibility for the country’s welfare agencies through Services Australia.
Senator Gallagher will take the position of Government Services minister, in addition to her existing responsibilities monitoring government expenditure and financial management, from Monday.
It comes after outgoing Government Services minister Bill Shorten, who last year announced he would not contest the forthcoming election, made the decision to leave Cabinet nine days earlier than initially anticipated.

The reshuffle brings responsibility for the government’s digital agenda and Services Australia under the same minister for the first time since 2021, when the former government shifted the Digital Transformation Agency out of the service delivery agency.
In doing so, the Albanese government is the closest to having a single digital minister in its almost three years in office – a role that both industry and outgoing shadow minister for government services and the digital economy Paul Fletcher have long been calling for.
It also helps remove a layer of bureaucracy in complex areas which traverse ministers, such as digital identity, where the Finance minister is responsible for policy, and the Government Services minister delivery.
Senator Gallagher has been a driving force in the government’s digital agenda, tackling many of the cultural issues that have dogged the public service for years, including around procurement and agency fiefdoms.
But with Services Australia one of Canberra’s most complex agencies, and the senators time already stretched, the decision raises questions over whether the change will lift the importance of digital in government.
In addition to her role as Finance minister, Senator Gallagher is also Minister for Women, Minister for the Public Service, and is key to the Labor’s dealings in Parliament as manager of government business in the Senate.
In a statement, Senator Gallagher said she was honored to take the portfolio, and thanked Mr Shorten for his tireless work making a “real and tangible positive difference in the lives of millions of Australians”.
“I have enjoyed working closely with Mr Shorten on myGov and digital service delivery to make it easier for Australians to access government services like Medicare and Centrelink,” she said.
In particular, she paid tribute to his role “uncovering and publicly prosecuting the Morrison government’s Robodebt scandal”. The government has introduced new governance mechanisms and proposed algorithm safeguards to avoid a repeat.
“From pensions and payments to Medicare, veterans’ pensions to disability support, government services are there to support Australians when they need it most. That’s what I will continue to protect and deliver as the minister responsible,” she said.
Mr Shorten’s responsibility for the National Disability Insurance Scheme will be assumed by Social Services minister Amanda Rishworth, who will become NDIS minister.
A new position of Minister Assisting the Minister for the NDIS will also be created to assist Ms Rishworth, with Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth, Anne Aly, to take the role.
Mr Shorten said in a separate statement that all three ministers are “excellent appointments and show the strength and depth of the Albanese Labor Government”.
He also added that standing down next Monday would give him time to start his new role as vice chancellor and president of the University of Canberra before students begin the 2025 academic year.
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