Revamping her government for 2012 earlier this week, Julia Gillard places an emphasis on health, aged care, disability reform and jobs.
Nicola Roxon becomes the first woman Attorney-General, and replacing her role as Health Minister is Tanya Plibersek, who is previously the Minister for Human Services.
The re-shuffle also sees Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler being elevated to cabinet level as Minister for Mental Health and Aged Care.
"Obviously I’m delighted to have been appointed to Julia Gillard’s cabinet, but more importantly I’m delighted that Julia Gillard has elevated the portfolios of mental health and ageing to the cabinet table."
"We know that mental health requires a lot more work to be done."
The promotion has been widely interpreted as evidence that the aged care reform process will in fact be dealt with in this term of government and has bolstered expectations that the first steps toward reform will be reflected in the 2012/2013 budget.
As Minister for Ageing he is responsible for producing a government response to the Productivity Commission's call for reform in aged-care funding, possibly as early as next year's budget.
Mr Butler has consulted on the reforms with more than 4000 Australians at meetings across the country and Julia Gillard has pledged she will deliver on aged-care reform this term. However, Mr Butler would not be drawn on whether the government's reforms would be unveiled next year.
"The Prime Minister has committed . . . that aged-care reform would be a part of this government's second term. She remains committed to that, quite when that response will be delivered and quite when that process will start has not been a decision yet made by the government."