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| Liberal MP criticises Abbott's decision not to appoint science minister | Liberal MP criticises Abbott's decision not to appoint science minister |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| A Liberal MP has criticised the prime minister elect Tony Abbott's decision not to appoint a science minister and says the cabinet hasn't been chosen entirely on merit. | A Liberal MP has criticised the prime minister elect Tony Abbott's decision not to appoint a science minister and says the cabinet hasn't been chosen entirely on merit. |
| Dennis Jensen said Abbott's decision to absorb the science portfolio into the industry and education portfolios would make science a "somewhat schizophrenic policy area". | Dennis Jensen said Abbott's decision to absorb the science portfolio into the industry and education portfolios would make science a "somewhat schizophrenic policy area". |
| "This is something that to me is strange," Jensen told ABC television on Tuesday. | "This is something that to me is strange," Jensen told ABC television on Tuesday. |
| "We've got a minister for sport for God's sake, but we don't have a minister for science." | "We've got a minister for sport for God's sake, but we don't have a minister for science." |
| The West Australian backbencher, who last week put his hand up for the job of science minister, said Abbott's front bench choices weren't entirely based on merit. | The West Australian backbencher, who last week put his hand up for the job of science minister, said Abbott's front bench choices weren't entirely based on merit. |
| "But that's a political reality as well," he said, adding that the decisions were based on keeping a balance between upper and lower house MPs and making sure states were fairly represented. | "But that's a political reality as well," he said, adding that the decisions were based on keeping a balance between upper and lower house MPs and making sure states were fairly represented. |
| "There are also internal political power, if you will, issues, that you take into consideration when determining what your frontbench make-up is." | "There are also internal political power, if you will, issues, that you take into consideration when determining what your frontbench make-up is." |
| But he denied that Abbott had a problem with women and said ministry choices should be based on merit. | But he denied that Abbott had a problem with women and said ministry choices should be based on merit. |
| Jensen criticised his party for not having a coherent policy on science. | Jensen criticised his party for not having a coherent policy on science. |
| "I guess this is the problem with not having people of scientific bent in decision-making processes," he said. | "I guess this is the problem with not having people of scientific bent in decision-making processes," he said. |
| Jensen, a self-confessed climate change sceptic, said Abbott still had time to change his mind and include science as a specific portfolio area before the frontbench was sworn in on Wednesday. | Jensen, a self-confessed climate change sceptic, said Abbott still had time to change his mind and include science as a specific portfolio area before the frontbench was sworn in on Wednesday. |
| The incoming industry minister, Ian Macfarlane, said he was passionate about science. | The incoming industry minister, Ian Macfarlane, said he was passionate about science. |
| "My mother is a scientist. My grandfather was a scientist, a geologist," he told ABC radio. "I'm a great believer in innovations and inventions." | "My mother is a scientist. My grandfather was a scientist, a geologist," he told ABC radio. "I'm a great believer in innovations and inventions." |
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