House debates Questions without Notice

Australian Parliament

Wednesday, 4 February 2026 House of Representatives

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

3:44 pm

The number of people on the non-government benches, following the shadow cabinet position, now comprise 23 that will follow the shadow cabinet and 33 that will not. That means, for the Leader of the Opposition, who at the end of this week has to fill 11 frontbench vacancies, there are only five backbenchers left to fill these 11 vacancies who follow the shadow cabinet position. It's a group of four across there now on the crossbench—cross, very cross, apoplectic and just plain weird.

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