Barton Deakin Brief – Federal Shadow Ministry
28 May 2025
The Liberal and National parties contested the 3 May 2025 federal election in coalition.
Following the reelection of the Albanese Labor Government, the Liberal Party elected Sussan Ley as their new leader, and David Littleproud was reelected The Nationals leader.
On 20 May, Littleproud announced that the Federal Nationals party room had determined not to form a federal Coalition Agreement with the Liberal Party for the first time since 1987.
The Nationals cited reasons including policies prosecuted together as the Coalition at the 2025 election would not be adopted as policy in a future Coalition agreement.
Specifically they cited divestiture competition laws, universal service obligations for regional communications, support for nuclear energy, and the proposed Regional Australia Future Fund as commitments they could not “in good conscience walk away from”.
Subsequently, the two parties reentered negotiations and on 28 May 2025 announced that they had signed a Coalition agreement and a joint Shadow Cabinet.
There are significant changes to the members of the shadow ministry including promotions to Shadow Cabinet for;
- Alex Hawke, Member for Mitchell
- Kerrynne Liddle, Senator for South Australia
- Andrew Bragg, Senator for New South Wales
- Tim Wilson, Member for Goldstein
- Angie Bell, Member for Moncrieff
- Ross Cadell, Senator for New South Wales (National Party)
- Darren Chester, Member for Gippsland (National Party)
- James McGrath, Senator for Queensland
- Julian Leeser, Member for Berowra
Further Information
The complete Shadow Ministry list is listed below.
For more information, please contact Matthew Harris on 0410 839 586.
To stay up to date with the affairs of Coalition Governments and Oppositions around Australia, you can follow Barton Deakin on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Shadow Ministry
Shadow Cabinet
| Title | Minister | Electorate |
| Leader of the Opposition | The Hon Susan Ley MP | Member for Farrer |
| Shadow Treasurer
(Deputy Leader of the Opposition) |
The Ted O’Brien MP
|
Member for Fairfax |
| Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
(Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) |
Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash | Senator for Western Australia |
| Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
Shadow Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme Shadow Minister for Sport (Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) |
Senator the Hon Anne Ruston | Senator for South Australia |
| Shadow Minister for Agriculture
(Leader of the Nationals) |
The Hon David Littleproud MP | Member for Maranoa |
| Shadow Minister for Trade, Investment and Tourism
(Deputy Leader of the Nationals) (Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) |
The Hon Kevin Hogan MP | Member for Page |
| Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development
(Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) |
Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie | Senator for Victoria |
| Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation
(Manger of Opposition Business in the House) |
The Hon Alex Hawke MP | Member for Mitchell |
| Shadow Minister for Home Affairs | The Hon Andrew Hastie MP | Member for Canning |
| Shadow Minister for the Public Service
Shadow Minister for Finance Shadow Minister for Government Services |
Senator James Paterson | Senator for Victoria |
| Shadow Minister for Women
Shadow Minister for Communications |
Melissa McIntosh MP | Member for Lindsay
|
| Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians
Shadow Minister for Social Services |
Senator Kerrynne Liddle | Senator for South Australia |
| Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Shadow Minister for Productivity and Deregulation |
Senator Andrew Bragg | Senator for New South Wales |
| Shadow Minister for Small Business
Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and Employment |
The Hon Tim Wilson MP | Member for Goldstein
|
| Shadow Minister for the Environment
Shadow Minister for Youth |
Angie Bell MP | Member for Moncrieff
|
| Shadow Minister for Water
Shadow Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Shadow Minister for Emergency Management |
Senator Ross Cadell | Senator for New South Wales |
| Shadow Minister for Defence | The Hon Angus Taylor MP | Member for Hume |
| Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs | The Hon Darren Chester MP | Member for Gippsland |
| Shadow Special Minister of State
Shadow Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Shadow Minister for Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games |
Senator the Hon James McGrath | Senator for Queensland |
| Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction | The Hon Dan Tehan MP | Member for Wannon |
| Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia | Senator Susan McDonald | Senator for Queensland |
| Shadow Minister for Education and Early Learning | Senator the Hon Jonathon Duniam | Senator for Tasmania |
| Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for the Arts |
Julian Leeser MP | Member for Berowra |
Shadow Outer Ministry
| Title | Minister | Electorate |
| Shadow Assistant Treasurer
Shadow Minister for Financial Services |
Pat Conaghan MP | Member for Cowper
|
| Shadow Minister for International Development and Pacific Island Affairs | The Hon Jason Wood MP | Member for La Trobe
|
| Shadow Minister for Defence Industry
Shadow Minister for Defence Personnel |
Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price | Senator for the Northern Territory |
| Shadow Minister for Science
Shadow Minister for Cyber Security |
The Hon Melissa Price MP | Member for Durack
|
| Shadow Minister for Immigration
Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs (Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) |
Senator Paul Scarr | Senator for Queensland |
| Shadow Minister for Skills and Training | The Hon Scott Buchholz MP | Member for Wright |
| Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
Shadow Minister for Regional Communications |
Dr Anne Webster MP | Member for Mallee |
Shadow Assistant Ministers
| Title | Minister | Electorate |
| Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Assistant Minister for Woman Shadow Assistant Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence |
Senator Maria Kovacic | Senator for New South Wales |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary | Andrew Wallace MP | Member for Fisher |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury | Senator Dave Sharma | Senator for New South Wales |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry
Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure |
Sentor Matt O’Sullivan | Senator for Western Australia |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Agriculture
Shadow Assistant Minister for Resources |
Jamie Chaffey MP | Member for Parkes
|
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Shadow Assistant Minister for Energy and Emissions Reductions |
Senator Dean Smith | Senator for Western Australia |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence |
Philip Thompson OAM MP | Member for Herbert
|
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Early Learning |
Zoe McKenzie MP | Member for Flinders
|
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health
Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Education |
Sam Birrell MP | Member for Nicholls
|
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign Capability | Andrew Wilcox MP | Member for Dawson
|
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Technology and the Digital Economy
Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications |
Gisele Kapterian MP** | Member for Bradfield |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Stronger Families and Stronger Communities | Senator Leah Blyth | Senator for South Australia |
** Contingent upon the result in the Division of Bradfield