DAFF name shortened

Despite the name change, the department's operations will remain unchanged, with new Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce responsible for agricultural, pastoral, fishing, food and forestry industries and relevant legislation.

Minister Joyce will be assisted by Parliamentary Secretary, Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck.

Hunter MP and former Agriculture Minister Joel Fitzgibbon will remain the Opposition’s agricultural spokesman until the Labor leadership is resolved between contenders Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese.

The department's name change reflects moves by the new Abbott government to simplify ministerial roles and titles.

In other moves by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to reduce ministerial title inflation, responsibility for Water has been shifted to SA Senator Simon Birmingham who was named assistant to the new Environment Minister Greg Hunt.

In the second Rudd ministry sworn in on July 1, Mark Butler was Minister for Environment, Heritage and Water and Minister for Climate Change.

Mr Albanese was Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and Leader of the House.

At this week’s Cabinet announcement, Mr Abbott said he wanted to “get away from this idea that unless you have a minister with your specific interest in his or her specific title that there is going to be any lack of concern”.

“All of these programs will be under strong ministerial supervision and we are going to deliver for seniors,” he said.

“We are going to deliver for people with disabilities.

“We are going to deliver for farmers.

“We're going to deliver for Northern Australia.

“The fact that not all of these groups are specifically enumerated in ministerial titles doesn’t mean that people aren't going to get a fair go because, let's face it, there are some things which are so important that in a sense every minister should be concerned about them.”

At the swearing in ceremony yesterday, Mr Abbott said he wanted his ministry to be judged by “what we have done rather than by what we have said we would do”.