Date: Oct 2025
Summary of Changes — 13 October 2025
On 13 October 2025, the Leader of the Opposition, Sussan Ley MP, announced a targeted reshuffle of the Coalition’s Shadow Ministry, following the resignation of Andrew Hastie from his frontbench role. The changes emphasise security, legal oversight, communications, and mental health, while re-balancing representation across the Liberal and National parties. Most portfolios remain unchanged, and many shadow ministers maintain their existing responsibilities.
These changes take effect immediately and signal refocusing on law, order, national security, and internal party renewal.
Key Changes to the Shadow Cabinet
| Portfolio / Position | New Appointment | Previous Holder / Notes |
| Shadow Minister for Home Affairs | Senator Jonathon Duniam | Replaces Andrew Hastie, who resigned from the Coalition frontbench. Moves from Shadow Education. |
| Shadow Attorney-General | Andrew Wallace MP | Replaces Julian Leeser MP, who moves to a new portfolio. Wallace resigns as Deputy Chair, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. |
| Shadow Minister for Education and Arts | Julian Leeser MP | Moves from Shadow Attorney-General. |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary | Zoe McKenzie MP | New appointment while retaining her role as Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Early Learning. |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications | Aaron Violi MP | Elevated from backbench; adds this portfolio to his responsibilities. |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Housing and Mental Health | Cameron Caldwell MP | Newly appointed to the Shadow Ministry. |
| Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security – Deputy Chair | Phillip Thompson OAM MP (nominated) | To replace Andrew Wallace. |
The updated shadow ministry list is below:
Federal Coalition Shadow Ministry — October 2025
| Title | Name |
| Leader of the Opposition | The Hon Sussan Ley MP |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Shadow Treasurer | Mr Ted O’Brien MP |
| Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs | Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Shadow Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Shadow Minister for Sport | Senator the Hon Anne Ruston |
| Shadow Minister for the Environment, Shadow Minister for Youth | Ms Angie Bell MP |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Stronger Families and Stronger Communities | Senator Leah Blyth |
| Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Shadow Minister for Productivity and Deregulation | Senator Andrew Bragg |
| Shadow Minister for Skills and Training | Mr Scott Buchholz MP |
| Shadow Minister for Water, Shadow Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Shadow Minister for Emergency Management | Senator Ross Cadell |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Housing, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health | Mr Cameron Caldwell MP |
| Shadow Minister for Cyber Security, Shadow Minister for Science | Senator Claire Chandler |
| Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs | Mr Darren Chester MP |
| Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate | Senator the Hon Jonathon Duniam |
| Manager of Opposition Business in the House, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation | Mr Alex Hawke MP |
| Deputy Leader of the National Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House, Shadow Minister for Trade, Investment and Tourism | Mr Kevin Hogan MP |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Shadow Assistant Minister for the Digital Economy, Shadow Assistant Minister for Scrutiny of Government Waste | Mr Simon Kennedy MP |
| Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition, Shadow Assistant Minister for Women, Shadow Assistant Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence | Senator Maria Kovacic |
| Shadow Minister for Education and Early Learning, Shadow Minister for the Arts | Mr Julian Leeser MP |
| Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, Shadow Minister for Social Services | Senator Kerrynne Liddle |
| Leader of the Nationals, Shadow Minister for Agriculture | Mr David Littleproud MP |
| Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia | Senator Susan McDonald |
| 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 |
| Shadow Minister for Women, Shadow Minister for Communications | Ms Melissa McIntosh MP |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Early Learning | Ms Zoe McKenzie MP |
| Leader of the Nationals in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development | Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure | Senator Matt O’Sullivan |
| Shadow Minister for the Public Service, Shadow Minister for Finance, Shadow Minister for Government Services | Senator James Paterson |
| Shadow Minister for Defence Industry, Shadow Minister for Defence Personnel | Ms Melissa Price MP |
| Shadow Minister for Immigration, Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate | Senator Paul Scarr |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury | Mr Dave Sharma MP |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Shadow Assistant Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction | Senator Dean Smith |
| Shadow Minister for Defence | Mr Angus Taylor MP |
| Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction | The Hon Dan Tehan MP |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence | Mr Phillip Thompson MP |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications | Mr Aaron Violi MP |
| Shadow Attorney-General | Mr Andrew Wallace MP |
| Shadow Minister for Small Business, Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and Employment | Mr Tim Wilson MP |
| Shadow Minister for International Development and Pacific Island Affairs | Mr Jason Wood MP |
Further Information
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.