Health Minister Nicola Roxon will become the nation’s first female Attorney-General as part of a Cabinet shuffle announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

In her new role, Roxon will take responsibility for defending the introduction of cigarette plain-packaging next year, a measure she introduced as Health Minister. Three major tobacco companies, Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco, have challenged the measure.
Roxon’s replacement as Health Minister is Tanya Plibersek, the minister for human services, Gillard said in a statement on 12 Dec. (pi)