Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud announce the new shadow ministry. Photo: Instagram.
The lovers’ spat is over and divorce papers have been ripped up, with the reunion of the Liberal and National parties back in Coalition after a week of high tension.
But former Nationals leaders (and former deputy prime ministers) Michael McCormack and Barnaby Joyce have both been dumped from the shadow ministry and relegated to the backbench.
Strong performing Liberals Jane Hume and Sarah Henderson have also been demoted and removed from the frontbench.
Angus Taylor hands over the shadow treasury role to deputy Liberal leader Ted O’Brien, with Mr Taylor to be shadow defence minister and Michaelia Cash being named as shadow foreign minister.
The Opposition parties reached a deal on Wednesday (28 May) to reunite, following a dramatic split that saw the Nationals walk away from the 80-year union.
Following a devastating federal election loss for the Opposition, Nationals leader David Littleproud abandoned the Coalition agreement on 20 May, citing no assurances from Liberal leader Sussan Ley over four policy positions the Nats listed as dealbreakers.
Ms Ley wanted all policies to be up for discussion, but the Nationals insisted their wishlist had to be set in stone before an agreement could be reached.
Mr Littleproud also demanded that his party not be bound by shadow cabinet solidarity (although he allegedly didn’t tell his party that bit), to which Ms Ley outright rejected.
But following a massive backlash over the dummy spit, and rising internal tension for Mr Littleproud, the marriage is back on.
A deal was struck to reunite under a Coalition agreement, following in-principle acceptance from the Liberals to include the four policies the Nationals want kept — nuclear power, a regional Australia future fund, supermarket divestiture, and better rural mobile phone coverage.
Announcing the reunion and the new-look front bench, Ms Ley said she didn’t accept the term ‘bitter’ in relation to last week’s split and said she and Mr Littleproud would work together professionally and as friends.
“I promised my leadership would be done differently and it will be. I have communicated with every single member of my party room about this shadow ministry,” she said. “Those who are in the shadow ministry and those who are not. That style might be unconventional but it is important because I always said that I would harness the talents of my party room.
“Everyone has a role to play, even if they are not formally in the lineup.”
Ms Ley also said she valued the work of the public service, but added that advice would be sought from a range of sectors in relation to Coalition policy going forward.
For his part, Mr Littleproud denied he had been less than forthcoming to his party members, and he promised to work constructively with Ms Ley as a united team.
“Now is the time to take on this government and make sure that the Australian people know that this Coalition … is focused on them,” he said.
Speaking to the media in Wagga, Mr McCormack said he was disappointed with Mr Littleproud’s decision to exclude him from the Nationals’ frontbench quota.
“No matter what position I may or may not hold, the people of Riverina are the ones I answer to, the ones I work hard for,” he said.
“I wouldn’t be human if I wasn’t disappointed, but I have a lot to offer. I was told it was generational change and a couple of those people are older than me. You have to ask the leader. It is his prerogative.
“I’m disappointed but life goes on.”
The former shadow minister for international development had been critical of the way Mr Littleproud removed the Nationals from the Coalition last week.
That it was done straight after Ms Ley’s mother died was a particular sore point.
“The Nationals and Liberals, we are back together and that is a good thing,” Mr McCormack said.
“The transition could have been not made in the haste that it was made. Sussan was mourning for the loss of her mother and you cannot replace a mum, you just cannot.
“I thought it was done in too much haste and decisions made in haste are not always the wise and best decisions.”
Mr McCormack and Mr Joyce are former rivals in the party but are thought to be uniting over a new leadership tilt.
Mr McCormack has not ruled out challenging Mr Littleproud for the National Party leadership, while Mr Joyce has privately told colleagues he would back such a challenge.
“Who would’ve thought last week, standing united, us two?” Mr McCormack said.
“But we have never been opposed as far as policy and those sorts of things. I speak to Barnaby Joyce regularly.”
The new shadow ministry is:
- Sussan Ley – Opposition Leader
- Ted O’Brien – treasury
- David Littleproud – agriculture
- Michaelia Cash – foreign affairs
- Kevin Hogan – trade
- Andrew Hastie – home affairs
- Angus Taylor – defence
- James Paterson – finance
- Julian Leeser – attorney-general and arts
- Paul Scarr – immigration
- Darren Chester – veterans affairs
- Tim Wilson – industrial relations
- Kerrynne Liddle – Indigenous Australians
- Bridget McKenzie – Infrastructure
- Andrew Bragg – productivity and deregulation
- Jacinta Nampijinpa Price – defence industry and personnel
- Jason Wood – international development and the Pacific.
- Angie Bell – environment and youth
- Melissa McIntosh – communication, women
- Anne Ruston – health, aged care, sport and the NDIS
- Melissa Price – cybersecurity and science
- Dan Tehan – energy and emissions
- Alex Hawke – industry
- Jonathon Duniam – education and early learning
- James McGrath – urban infrastructure and cities
- Ross Cadell – water, fisheries, forestries and emergency services
- Ann Webster – regional development, local government and regional telecommunications
Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Region Canberra.
