Australia PM

Australia PM shifts rape-accused minister in cabinet reshuffle

Christian Porter will no longer be attorney general but will remain in cabinet in a new portfolio.

Mr Porter has strongly rejected an allegation that he raped a girl in 1988 when he was 17.

Mr Morrison promoted several female lawmakers as part of a broader cabinet reshuffle on Monday.

The prime minister has faced intense pressure in recent weeks to respond to a series of rape, misconduct and sexism allegations which have rocked Australian politics.

Coronavirus: Australia orders all arrivals to self-isolate for 14 days

"This is very important," Scott Morrison said at a briefing, adding that the measure would take effect from midnight on Sunday (13:00 GMT).

The measures mirror those announced by New Zealand on Saturday.

Foreign cruise liners will also be banned from docking in Australia for 30 days, but schools will remain open.

Australia has reported nearly 250 confirmed cases, with three deaths.

     

Scott Morrison's rise to Australia's top job

In 2006, he was Tourism Australia's inaugural managing director, but it wasn't Mr Morrison's first experience at crafting catchy, cut-through slogans - a skill he would later use to great effect during his rapid rise in federal politics.

Years earlier, he'd been involved in the highly acclaimed "100% Pure New Zealand" campaign after being recruited to set up that country's Office of Tourism and Sport.

With a year remaining on his contract he returned to Sydney in early 2000 to take up the job of state director of the NSW Liberal Party.

Malcolm Turnbull thanks Nauruan President for 'combating people smuggling'

Mr Turnbull met with President Baron Waqa Friday on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum in Micronesia.

The meeting between the pair follows a decision by the Nauruan Government to refuse a visa to crossbench MP Andrew Wilkie, who had planned to visit the immigration detention centre on the island.

Mr Turnbull used the meeting to thank President Waqa for his Government's support regarding the centre, which has been in use since it was reopened by the Gillard government in 2012.