Scott Morrison fuelled speculation on Wednesday when he offered no defence of Mr Porter — who remains on leave — and dodged questions about his future in Cabinet.

Asked by Labor leader Anthony Albanese during Question Time whether he was "preparing to make [the Attorney-General] a part-time minister or is he preparing to drop him altogether", Mr Morrison did not answer directly. 

"I am considering that advice with my department secretary, in terms of the application against the ministerial guidelines," Mr Morrison replied. 

"And when I have concluded that assessment, I'll make a determination and I'll make an announcement at that time." 

Mr Morrison has sought advice from Solicitor-General Stephen Donaghue about Mr Porter's portfolio responsibilities, and has asked the head of his department, Phil Gaetjens, how that applies to the ministerial standards. 

Mr Porter has been on medical leave since outing himself as the minister against whom an historic rape allegation had been made.

He strongly denies the allegation and has launched defamation action against the ABC. 

To avoid a conflict of interest, some of Mr Porter's roles and responsibilities as Attorney-General have been delegated to other ministers while that case plays out before the courts. 

It is expected Mr Porter will remain in Cabinet, possibly retaining his Industrial Relations portfolio, but fellow West Australian Michaelia Cash is in line to replace him as the nation's chief law officer.

The reshuffle could be announced as early as Friday, days before Mr Porter is due to return to work.

Reynolds also set for shift

In what is set to be Mr Morrison's second Cabinet reshuffle in three months, embattled Defence Minister Linda Reynolds is also likely to be shifted out of her existing portfolio after coming under sustained criticism for her handling of the Brittany Higgins rape allegation.

Peter Dutton is expected to replace her in Defence, a position he has long coveted.

News of the impending reshuffle came after Mr Morrison was forced to mop up another mess he himself created, after falsely suggesting that a News Corp journalist had made a harassment complaint against another colleague.

Mr Morrison issued a late-night apology to those involved, which he reiterated in Parliament. 

"I have given that apology honestly and openly," he said.

"What Australian women are looking for from me is to demonstrate my understanding of the issues that they have raised, and that I am listening to the great pain that they have been enduring."

Sacrificial lambs slaughtered on the alter of 'Political Correctness':

Chritian Porter:

Porter's father was Charles "Chilla" Porter, who won a silver medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics and was director of Western Australia's Liberal Party during the 1970s and 1980s.

Porter was educated at Hale School, and was selected for Australia's national schools debating team (Probably wishes he hadn't).

From 1988 he attended the University of Western Australia where he graduated Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Arts with first-class honours in politics, before completing a Bachelor of Laws degree.

Porter later studied at the London School of Economics for a Master of Science in political theory, from which he graduated with distinction at the top of his class.

Prior to entering Parliament, Porter worked predominantly as a lawyer, starting as a commercial litigator at Clayton Utz before moving to public practice.

He spent a year as an advisor to the Federal Minister for Justice and then began working for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as a senior state prosecutor.

Linda Reynolds:

Before being elected to the Senate in 2014, Senator Reynolds built an illustrious career in the Australian Army.

Enlisting in the Australian Army Reserve in 1984, at the age of 19, Senator Reynolds worked her way up through the ranks.

She served as an officer cadet, regional logistics officer, training development officer, military instructor at the Army Command and Staff College, commanding officer of the 5th Combat Service Support Battalion.

Linda was also director of the Active Standby Staff Group, project director at the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex, strategy development director of Raytheon Australia, director of the Accountability Model Implementation Project, and director of the Army Strategic Reform Program.

She was adjutant general of the Army Reserve from 2012 to 2013 and was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2011 Australia Day Honours for “Outstanding achievement as the Director of Army Strategic Reform Program co-ordination”.

She attained the rank of brigadier in 2012, becoming the first woman in the Australian Army Reserve to be promoted to a star rank.

Story By | Jane Norman & PortMac.News