Environment minister Melissa Price's allies say she was gagged for 'tactical' reasons in election

Minister facing calls for demotion from cabinet despite Scott Morrison's repeated praise

Supporters of the environment minister, Melissa Price, say she was deliberately gagged during the election campaign, as the embattled MP faces calls for her demotion from cabinet.

As Coalition MPs jostle for promotion in Scott Morrison's new frontbench, Price is understood to have told colleagues it was a tactical decision made by the prime minister and Coalition headquarters to keep her out of the limelight during the campaign. Price was supportive of the move, which ensured Morrison kept the focus on the economy and Labor's tax agenda.