This week Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud announced the coalition had gotten back together less than a fornight after calling off their decades long political union.
Liberal leader Sussan Ley said the joint team they had put together to take on the Albanese government was a balance of “experience with new talent” as she revealed the new shadow ministry.
The two leaders faced a media conference where they denied the short-term split and been bitter, and inisisted that they were now together and moving in the same direction.
Ted O’Brien, who is the Liberal’s Deputy leader, takes on the coveted Treasury portfolio. Angus Taylor, who ran against Ley for the Liberal leadership, moves to being Shadow Minister for Defence.
Western Australian MP Andrew Hastie, who had been shadow Defense Minister moves to Home Affairs. Hastie had expressed a desire to move to a finance based role to broaden his experience, but remains firmly in the security realm.
James Patersen become the finance spokesperson, Michaelia Cash takes of foreign affairs, and Julian Lesser is brought back into the fold as the Shadow Attorney-General. Lesser had been banished from the role to the back bench after he disagreed with the coalition’s stance against The Voice.
Dan Tehan is handed the challenging portfolio of energy, while Kevin Hogan retains trade and Bridget McKenzie remains in infrastructure.
Several prominent MPs have been sent to the back bench, among them Jane Hume, Sarah Henderson, Claire Chandler, and former Nations leaders Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack. Senator Chandler later released a statement saying she had requested not to be given a role.
