Jane Hume, Tim Wilson, Andrew Hastie big winners in Angus Taylor’s new-look shadow cabinet

Angus Taylor has refreshed the Liberal frontbench team with a strong showing for his conservative supporters, and has reinstated the temporarily exiled Nationals, as he puts his stamp on the Opposition.

Sussan Ley received 17 votes in the leadership contest last Friday; Mr Taylor has dumped seven of her supporters from the frontbench and demoted three others.

“Today marks a fresh beginning, an opportunity to put our past behind us and to remember that our historic strength comes through unity,” Mr Taylor said.

“We’re fortunate to have real depth of talent in our party room, and I’m committed to drawing on all of it.

“This is a team with two overriding priorities: restore Australia’s standard of living and protect our way of life.”

Deputy leader Jane Hume revealed she had “become something of a LinkedIn stalker over the last few days” as she and Mr Taylor worked out who had what experience in their party room.

The big winners are Senator Hume and one-time leadership contender Andrew Hastie, who not only return to the shadow cabinet but also take on leadership roles.

Senator Hume, who got to choose her own portfolio, becomes the shadow minister for employment, industrial relations, productivity and deregulation, which are traditional battlegrounds for the Liberals.

Mr Hastie gets the economic role he has long coveted as shadow minister for industry and sovereign capability, and will also serve as the deputy Liberal leader in the House of Representatives.

Goldstein MP Tim Wilson becomes shadow treasurer and will join Senator Hume and Tasmanian senator Claire Chandler in steering the party’s attempt to revive its economic credibility.

Mr Wilson – the only Liberal to defeat a teal incumbent in 2025 – will use his energetic focus to go head-to-head with Jim Chalmers as the Treasurer’s shadow in the lower house.

He said he was excited by the challenge.

“Hope is on the way,” he said.

“We are going to do everything we can over the next two years, not just to do it in our words, but our deeds and our campaigns, so that you see the pathway forward and that you want to see a change of government.”

Dr Chalmers was quick off the mark with a response, saying that the Liberals were already onto their third shadow treasurer and “at this rate, everyone will get a go”.

“Tim Wilson strikes me as another typical Liberal. He’s long on ego, arrogance and entitlement and short on empathy or understanding,” he said.

Senator Hume said it was no surprise Labor was “already have started going the man rather than the ball” because “you know that when Labor smear, you can smell their fear”.

Senator Chandler joins the shadow cabinet for the first time, taking on the finance portfolio.

Mr Taylor has also elevated Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Phil Thompson and Sarah Henderson to the shadow cabinet table.

He said Senator Price would champion the 2.8 million small businesses that “under Labor … have been forgotten” in her new role as shadow minister for small business, skills and training.

Senator Henderson returns to the communications portfolio she is passionate about.

Mr Thompson’s portfolios of Defence industry and Defence personnel – previously held by West Australian Melissa Price – are newly elevated to the cabinet level.

Senior figure Jonno Duniam remains in the Home Affairs portfolio he took on last October, while James Paterson will shift into Defence.

Michaelia Cash will remain the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate – a position chosen by Liberal senators – and will return to the attorney-general’s portfolio she has held in both government and opposition.

Her old position as shadow foreign affairs minister will be filled by the dumped deputy leader Ted O’Brien.

Andrew Bragg, widely regarded as a strong performer, adds environment to his housing portfolio.

“He’s the shadow minister for getting more houses built and more Australians owning their home,” Mr Taylor said.

“His job is to unblock supply, speed up approvals and demolish the barriers to stop homes from being built.”

Key Taylor allies Tony Pasin and Matt O’Sullivan have been promoted to the shadow ministry, as has Aaron Violi.

The leader has also promoted Zoe McKenzie and Simon Kennedy, who become co-chairs of a Coalition policy development committee in addition to shadow assistant minister roles, Garth Hamilton, Cameron Caldwell, Henry Pike and Ben Small.

Many of Ms Ley’s backers fared poorly in the reshuffle, despite a key complaint from some of her detractors being that she and lieutenant Alex Hawke hadn’t treated their opponents fairly.

Mr Hawke, Andrew Wallace, Melissa Price, Paul Scarr, Scott Buchholz and Jason Wood were all dumped from the frontbench entirely.

James McGrath, Angie Bell and Kerrynne Liddle remain in the lineup but have been demoted from the shadow cabinet – in Senator McGrath’s case, despite retaining the same portfolios of special minister of state and urban infrastructure.

Anne Ruston was spared, remaining in shadow cabinet in the health and aged care portfolio, and as the Opposition’s deputy leader in the Senate.

Ms Ley had expelled three of the Nationals shadow ministers after they crossed the floor to oppose legislation banning hate groups, and leader David Littleproud promptly walked out with the rest of the frontbench team.

He came to a compromise arrangement with Ms Ley that they would be allowed to return to their shadow ministry roles on March 1.

Mr Taylor has now fast-tracked that, reinstating the junior coalition partners effective immediately.

He denied that rewarded Mr Littleproud for splitting the Coalition.

“We’ve just talked it through as a leadership team, and come to the strong conclusion it’s time to get on with it, get back to that unified coalition that we know has been such a strength for our side of politics and such a strength for this nation,” he said.

“I’ve spoken to David many times over recent days, and I’m happy to say that the relationship is in good health.”