Sydney

AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Tony Abbott, battling a slide in public support, reshuffled his Cabinet on Sunday, promoting the overseer of a tough immigration programme and throwing out his gaffe-prone defence minister.

Mr Abbott said that the shake-up was for jobs and families and stressed a focus on financial issues as he deals with the fallout of an unpopular belt-tightening budget. "It is a sign that this government wants the economy to be front and centre in the coming year," he told reporters in Canberra.