Leader of the Opposition - Media Statement

Angus Taylor
Leader of the Opposition

MEDIA STATEMENT

SHADOW MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Today I announce the new arrangements for the Shadow Ministry.

This is a team that blends proven experience with the next generation of Coalition talent. A team built to do two things. First, prosecute Labor’s failures – the worst government in our nation’s history. Second, ensure the Coalition is ready to govern and change Australia for the better. A Coalition Government that I lead will restore Australians’ standard of living and protect our way of life.

Senator Jane Hume will drive our plan to rebuild an economy that rewards effort. As Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, and Shadow Minister for Productivity and Deregulation, she’ll focus on getting wages up by lifting productivity and making it easier for Australians to get ahead. These are integral roles for our economic agenda. 

Tim Wilson, as Shadow Treasurer, will lead our push for responsible spending, lower taxes and lower inflation. He’s a proven fighter against Labor’s higher taxes that are making Australians poorer. The Coalition will ferociously fight Labor’s bad taxes – taxes on homes, taxes on superannuation, taxes on our children’s future. 

Senator Claire Chandler will take on Finance, Government Services and the Public Service, and will hold Labor to account for its budget blowouts and skyrocketing debt, which will be passed on to our children and grandchildren to pay back. 

Tony Pasin will back her in as Shadow Minister for Scrutiny of Government Waste and Accountability, taking aim at Labor’s rorts and waste that are driving up inflation and contributing to higher prices for your groceries, electricity and housing.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price returns to Shadow Cabinet as the Shadow Minister for Small Business and Shadow Minister for Skills and Training. 

Aaron Violi will serve in the outer ministry as Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security, and Shadow Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation. Senator Dean Smith will serve as the Shadow Assistant Minister to the Shadow Treasurer and Shadow Assistant Minister for the Cost of Living.

Our policy development process will be strengthened by the creation of the Coalition Policy Development Committee, which will be co-chaired by Zoe McKenzie and Simon Kennedy. Zoe will continue on as the Shadow Cabinet Secretary and take on the new role of Shadow Assistant Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations.

Simon Kennedy, who is one of our strongest policy advocates, will become Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Assistant Minister for Finance.

Senator McGrath will continue in his roles as Shadow Special Minister of State, Shadow Minister for Urban Infrastructure, and Shadow Minister for Brisbane 2032. He will be assisted in his roles by Ben Small who will serve as the Shadow Assistant Minister for Electoral Matters and the Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure.

Senator Michaelia Cash will return to a role she has deep experience in, as Shadow Attorney-General.

Andrew Hastie will return to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Minister for Industry and Sovereign Capability. I have also asked him to serve as Deputy Leader in the House of Representatives. Andrew will align our economic and security agendas, ensuring Australia can make more of what we need here at home. 

Dan Tehan will continue as Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, and will assume the role of Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives. Supporting him is Garth Hamilton — a qualified engineer — as Shadow Assistant Minister for Energy Security and Affordability.

Senator Michaelia Cash will return to the Attorney‑General’s portfolio and continue as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. 

Senator Jonno Duniam will serve as Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration. Senator Dave Sharma will serve as the Shadow Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs.

Ted O’Brien will move from Shadow Treasury to become the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. Ted will bring the moral and strategic clarity to Australia’s foreign policy that has been lacking under this government. 

He will be supported by Senator Dave Sharma, who will serve in the role of Shadow Assistant Minister for International Development and the Indo-Pacific. 

Senator James Paterson will become the Shadow Minister for Defence. James will be relentless in holding Labor to account for its failures on defence funding, readiness and delivery.

He will work side by side with Phil Thompson, who will serve as Shadow Minister for Defence Industry and Shadow Defence Personnel, a role that has been elevated to Shadow Cabinet in recognition of the growing strategic challenges Australia now faces. 

Melissa McIntosh will take on the role of Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services, Shadow Minister for the NDIS, and Shadow Minister for Women. 

This is a key economic portfolio: lifting participation, reducing long-term unemployment, and ensuring families can get ahead. Melissa will be on the front line fighting for Australian families that are falling further and further behind under this prime minister. 

Assisting Mel will be Senator Matt O’Sullivan as the Shadow Minister for Choice in Childcare and Early Childhood. Matt will champion choice — not a one-size-fits-all approach — so parents can make decisions that work for them. 

Henry Pike will enter the frontbench as the Shadow Assistant Minister for the NDIS and Disabilities and Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health. Henry will bring rigour and urgency to making the NDIS sustainable now and into the future. 

Senator Anne Ruston will continue as the Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. 

Senator Sarah Henderson, the Shadow Minister for Communications and Digital Safety, will stand up for media competition and free speech, and ensure digital safety efforts target criminals and predators, not lawful Australians. 

Julian Leeser will continue as Shadow Minister for Education and add the responsibility of Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians.

Senator Andrew Bragg continues as the Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness and takes on the role of Shadow Minister for the Environment. Andrew’s goal is simple. He is the Shadow Minister for getting more houses built and more Australians owning their own home. 

Ably assisting him in this task will be Cameron Caldwell as Shadow Assistant Minister for Housing, who will be promoted to Chief Opposition Whip. 

James McGrath will continue as the Shadow Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities and Shadow Minister of State.

Senator Anne Ruston will continue in her role as Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, as well as Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. She will be supported by Senator Kerrynne Liddle, who will serve as the Shadow Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care. Henry Pike will serve as Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health.

Angie Bell will take on the role of Shadow Minister for Arts, Shadow Minister for Sport, and Shadow Minister for Youth. I know her wealth of experience and passion for these areas will make her a strong advocate.

Sarah Henderson will join the Shadow Cabinet and serve as the Shadow Minister for Communications and Digital Safety.

The Nationals members of the Shadow Ministry will continue in their previous roles. For clarity, all Nationals Shadow Ministers have been reappointed from today.

I thank the outgoing members of the shadow ministry for their tireless service to our country. We’re fortunate to have real depth of talent in our party room, and I’m committed to drawing on all of it.

Today marks a fresh beginning: an opportunity to put the past behind us and to remember that our historic strength has always come through unity. And unity is again needed for strength.

This is a team with one purpose: to restore Australians’ standard of living and protect our way of life. Because Australia is worth fighting for.