Government not in chaos: Gillard PRIME Minister Julia Gillard denies her government is in chaos as her turbulent start to the year continues with the resignation of two senior ministers. The resignations come three days after Ms Gillard stunned the nation by setting the election for September 14, an unprecedented eight months out. The past three days have also seen the arrest of suspended Labor MP Craig Thomson, accusations of prime ministerial meddling in the preselection of Nova Peris as an NT senate candidate and a scathing attack on one of the party's factions by senior Labor figure Tony Sheldon. Ms Gillard brushed aside suggestions on Saturday that her government was in chaos. "Why on earth would anyone say that," she replied, adding she had been talking to Senator Evans and Ms Roxon about their departures for a year. Ms Gillard says she is setting the agenda and the reshuffle that includes promoting Mark Dreyfus, QC, to attorney-general and switching Chris Bowen from immigration to tertiary education will rejuvenate the Labor team. But Australian National University political expert Professor John Wanna says it "beggars belief" the prime minister would have known about the resignations and called the election first. "They will be asking in caucus 'did you know all of these things were going to happen' and why she didn't get them to both stand down earlier," he told AAP. Labor would have picked up momentum if Ms Gillard first announced the cabinet reshuffle before calling an election, Prof Wanna said. "That would have set the wind in her sails," he added. Ms Gillard will be answering those questions on Sunday, when she fronts an ALP candidates and MPs meeting ahead of caucus on Monday. Senior Liberal MP Christopher Pyne says it's a horror start for the year for the prime minister, telling reporters in Adelaide he'd heard there were more resignations to come. "It bears the resemblance to a plot from Home and Away rather than an adult government running one of the world's most important democracies and economies," he said. However, Ms Gillard hopes to take her reshuffled cabinet into the next election. "There are some incredibly big shoes to fill and it does give me an opportunity now to promote some fresh talent," the prime minister said. Home Affairs and Justice Minister Jason Clare will pick up the role of cabinet secretary from Mr Dreyfus. Mark Butler will take on Mr O'Connor's housing and homelessness portfolio, while Mike Kelly will be promoted to the ministry as minister for defence materiel. Earlier this week, former attorney-general Robert McClelland decided not to seek preselection for Barton after almost 17 years in federal parliament. There is speculation that he is applying for jobs in the NSW government and may leave parliament before the general election creating the need for a by-election in Barton. Ms Gillard says it is up to the Speaker to decide whether to hold a by-election or delay it. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said before the reshuffle that Australia did not seem to be getting the stable government it deserved. Caucus will also elect a new senate leader on Monday, likely to be telecommunications minister Stephen Conroy. Ms Roxon will not contest the next election and Senator Evans will quit in a few months once a replacement is found.