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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull expects new ministry to be sworn in on Monday.

 

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has declared he wants more women on his frontbench, and expect his new ministry will sworn in on Monday.

By ABC Political Reporter Anna Henderson. 

As Mr Turnbull re-organises his leadership team, US president Barack Obama phoned ousted former prime minister Tony Abbott to thank him for his service, praising him as a “very good mate on many important issues”.

In his media conference this morning Mr Turnbull would not be drawn into revealing any of the frontbench changes he is planning to make, but did confirm he wants more female representatives to be promoted.

“There is no greater enthusiast than me for seeing more women in positions of power and influence in parliament, in ministries right across the country,” he said.

“I can assure you that. I am very committed to that, but I am not going to say any more about the new ministerial arrangements.

“You don’t have long to wait.”

The ABC has confirmed Immigration Minister Peter Dutton offered his resignation to Mr Turnbull in a text message on Monday night, but he also offered to stay and serve.

Mr Turnbull said today he had not spoken to Mr Dutton.

There has been much speculation about the future of the Treasurer Joe Hockey, who was seen as the target of Mr Turnbull’s economic criticism ahead of his move to overthrow Mr Abbott.

The ABC’s Barrie Cassidy said he had been told Social Services Minister Scott Morrison had been offered the position of Treasurer.

According to his information, Mr Hockey was offered the chance to remain in Cabinet, and is likely to be offered the Communications portfolio.

Mr Hockey called a media conference on the introduction of multinational tax avoidance laws today, and refused to go into the details of his private conversations with Mr Turnbull.

“I’ve had discussions with the Prime Minister,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“We’ll leave it at that. We’ll see what happens.”

Michaelia Cash is likely to be promoted to Immigration, and Arthur Sinodinos to Employment.

This post originally appeared on ABC News.

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