Australia’s new Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has appointed South Australia senator Anne Ruston as Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific. She replaces the outspoken Concetta Fierravanti-Wells who resigned on 21 August following a leadership spilt in Australia’s ruling Liberal Party.

In conjunction to the appointment, PM Morrison downgraded the portfolio from ‘Minister’ to ‘Assistant Minister’. Fierravanti-Wells condemned the relegation in an interview with ABC News. She stated "I am disappointed this has happened at a time where we have growing interests and growing contestability in the Pacific region,"

"I think downgrading this position does send the wrong signal at a time when we are spending record amounts of overseas development assistance in the Pacific."

A new Foreign Minister of Australia has also been appointed in the form of Marise Payne, a senator from New South Wales. She replaces Julie Bishop who resigned on August 28. Both Bishop and Fierravanti-Wells visited Tonga in March this year.