Late last year, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced a new Ministry and Cabinet. As a result of this, the current DIISRdepartment is to be expanded to become the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, with the Vocational Education and Training, Higher Education and International Education elements of the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations joining the DIISR. This change is intended to support better links between these policy areas. The expanded department will be led by two Cabinet Ministers and will also report to two Ministers in the Outer Ministry as well as a Parliamentary Secretary.
The Ministers will be as follows:
- The Hon Greg Combet AM MP, who will add Industry and Innovation to his Climate Change and Energy Efficiency responsibilities
- Senator the Hon Chris Evans, who will be Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research
- Senator the Hon Kim Carr, who retains ministerial responsibility for Manufacturing in the portfolio, in addition to becoming Minister for Defence Materiel in the Defence portfolio
- Senator the Hon Mark Arbib, who will be responsible for Small Business, in addition to Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Sport
- The Hon Mark Dreyfus MP will be Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry, in addition to being Cabinet Secretary and Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.