The Turnbull Cabinet: Lawyers, guns and money. A few career hints if you aspire to be Australia’s Foreign Minister or Defence Minister: first, of course, be a lawyer. And second, it often helps to take absolutely no interest whatsoever in international policy. Third, stick around long enough to be considered senior. That recipe, and some vital factional considerations, got Stephen Smith the job of running Australians foreign policy… The lawyer principle is reinforced by the Turnbull shadow Cabinet – both for Foreign Affairs and Defence. — Graeme Dobell, Interpreter

Turnbull deploys women and young guns. Malcolm Turnbull has chosen to deploy the Coalition’s young guns to the frontline in a decisive break with the Howard years that also rewards talented women. The big losers are Nelson backers Nick Minchin, dumped from defence to communications, and Tony Smith, who has been dumped from education to the assistant treasury role, although at least it is an economic portfolio. Arguably Tony Abbott, who wanted to move from the welfare portfolio, and Andrew Robb, who wanted treasury and got infrastructure, haven’t done terribly well either. — Samantha Maiden, The Australian

Winners and losers in Turnbull’s shadow cabinet. Contrary to Turnbull’s own claims, it’s clear that he’s rewarded his own supporters and demoted or discarded some of Nelson’s – such as Nick Minchin and Tony Smith. Tony Abbott seems to have shot himself in the foot with his undisciplined comments that he’d rather be closer to the action leading to his remaining where he was. — Mark, Larvatus Prodeo

New opposition. Just on the appointment of Julie Bishop, can anyone clear up if she has any particular expertise in the portfolio? I mean, I know the Liberals normally give the gig to the Deputy leader of the party, but given the fuss that is being made about the party regaining “economic credibility”, is there anything in her background that suggest that she has such credibility in the portfolio? — Tim Dunlop, Blogocracy