Former Howard government minister Nick Minchin will be confirmed as Australia's Consul General to New York today in a move that will reignite political brinkmanship over the role.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop sacked former Victorian Labor premier Steve Bracks from the position in one of the Coalition's first acts post-election and before the Government had even been sworn in.

The former government appointed Mr Bracks in May 2013 and he had not officially taken up the role before it was revoked last September.

Richard Lether has continued as the Acting Consul General in New York during that time, prompting Opposition queries as to why the role had still not been filled as of this month.

"The Foreign Minister must immediately explain why the post of Australia's Consul General in New York has been vacant for five months," Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said last week in a statement.

Ms Plibersek said the "indecision" was letting Australia down abroad.

"Australia's diplomatic, business, and cultural interests in New York have gone without senior representation for months because of the Abbott Government's indecision," she said.

The ABC understands Mr Minchin, who quit politics in 2010 and who has been speculated as a possible appointee for the Consul General ever since Steve Bracks's sacking, will be named as Australia's top diplomatic official in New York as early as today.

The former senator was the finance minister in the Howard government and an influential leader of the Liberal Party's hard right.

Mr Minchin helped lead the revolt against Malcolm Turnbull's support of the emissions trading scheme which installed Tony Abbott as Liberal Leader and helped crush bipartisan support for emissions trading.

Mr Minchin will take up the role in April.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-14/nick-minchin-ny-consul-general/5259220