CANBERRA: Australia's new prime minister has announced sweeping changes to his first Cabinet and promoted more women, including Australia's first female defense minister.
Malcolm Turnbull announced on Sunday he is increasing the number of female Cabinet ministers from two to five, including Defense Minister Marise Payne.
The government's unpopular chief economics minister, Treasurer Joe Hockey, has been replaced by Social Services Minister Scott Morrison.
Turnbull, the former communications minister, replaced his unpopular predecessor Tony Abbott in a surprise leadership vote of the ruling Liberal Party lawmakers on Monday night.
Turnbull says Hockey will quit politics. Abbott was also excluded from the new Cabinet, which will be sworn in on Monday.