Howard shuffles his front bench: Vanstone out, Turnbull in

Turnbull: will run a super water Ministry

Prime Minister, John Howard has reshuffled his front bench, sacking Amanda Vanstone, putting Malcolm Turnbull in charge of the environment and tapping Joe Hockey to fight Labor on workplace changes.

The changes come as a resurgent Labor has strengthened its lead in the polls to be 10 per centage points ahead of the Government on a two party preferred basis.

The Prime Minister announced his changes at a Canberra press conference. He thanked the demoted and retiring Ministers for their contribution.

Howard said he was establishing an Environment and Water Ministry, which Turnbull will head, and abolishing the term multiculturalism and instead having a Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Former Liberal Party Chief, Andrew Robb, has been appointed as Minister for Vocational Education.