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EDEN-MONARO member Peter Hendy will be among MPs sworn in to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's new cabinet on Monday after clinching a new role as Assistant Minister for Productivity.
Dr Hendy was among winners in the cabinet reshuffle announced on Sunday and one of Mr Turnbull's supporters in the Liberal party ballot that ousted Tony Abbott.
The new role will allow him to further the government's economic reform program and he will report directly to the Prime Minister.
Dr Hendy's promotion comes days after Labor called on the first-term MP to explain his role in the coup to remove former prime minister Tony Abbott.
Fairfax Media revealed plotters used his east Queanbeyan home as a war room the night before Mr Abbott's removal.
Dr Hendy, who has a PhD in Government and won the bellwether seat from Mike Kelly by less than 1000 votes, said his decision to switch allegiance to Mr Turnbull was based on good governance.
“I have been convinced over recent times that Malcolm has learned a lot of lessons from when he was leader of the opposition,” he said.
“I think he will be like John Howard in that he was not a great opposition leader but will be a great Prime Minister.
"We can see from the beginning that there will be a lot of consolation and a focus on good cabinet processes and a Canberra audience will understand how important that is.”
Dr Hendy said he believed the government needed to articulate a more robust economic policy and was confident Mr Turnbull could provide leadership.
The first-term MP will be tasked with working on a red tape reduction program and will advise the Prime Minister on tax reform and competition policy.
“I'm a rural MP and my first duty is to my electorate,” he said.
“Having a rural MP right in the centre of government can only advance the voice of the bush in parliament.”
Dr Hendy, a former chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the new ministry was a sign of the government's shifting focus.
“There is a new minister for innovation and a new minister for cities and the built environment. These are a number of areas where the federal government could be doing better,” he said.
Dr Hendy said the GST reporting process would be led by new treasurer Scott Morrison.
He said there had been "a number of reviews" on taxation and the new-look government would be "forming a decision of how to proceed with the future tax system".
“The review has been going on for the best part of two years. I hope over the next few months, into early next year, key decisions are made.”
Mr Hendy, who also headed Treasury's business tax arm, said he would help shape tax policy to take to the 2016 election.
“We are bound by some promises before the last election about tax,” he said.
“I think...there is need for tax reform. It's one of the things Malcolm Turnbull has been on about for very many years.
“That was the issue he butted heads with Peter Costello over as a backbencher.
“Now he's the Prime Minister. We'll see what we can do.”
