Reply #2: Minimal changes to Cabinet.

[Matilda]

Julia Gillard has made only minimal changes to the Cabinet appointed by Kevin Rudd, and the former PM is to stay on the backbench until after the election.

Simon Crean will take over Gillard's portfolio, and his Trade responsibilities will be given to Stephen Smith, in addition to Foreign Affairs.

Makes sense, really – there'll be a gap in Finance after the election with Lindsay Tanner gone, and it makes more sense to have a complete reshuffle then. And perhaps giving Rudd whatever he wants would look rather like guilt on Gillard's part. But she's proved she can take the hard decisions.