Senate debates

Tuesday, 11 May 2010

The Nationals and the Liberal Party

Leadership and Office Holders

2:00 pm

Photo of Eric AbetzEric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | | Hansard source

by leave—On 3 May, Senator Minchin, in defiance of his total party room, resigned as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate—a great way to leave. We wish him and his loved ones well. Consequent upon Senator Minchin’s decision, the Liberal senators elected me as leader and my colleague Senator the Hon. George Brandis SC as deputy leader. For the information of senators, I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard an updated list of the coalition shadow ministry.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

COALITION SHADOW MINISTRY

3 May 2010

TITLE

SHADOW MINISTER

OTHER CHAMBER

Leader of the Opposition

The Hon Tony Abbott MP

Senator the Hon Eric Abetz

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition

Senator Cory Bernardi

Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs

(Deputy Leader of the Opposition)

The Hon Julie Bishop MP

Senator the Hon David Johnston

Shadow Minister for Trade, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

(Leader of The Nationals)

The Hon Warren Truss MP

Senator the Hon Ian Macdonald

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia

Senator the Hon Ian Macdonald

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Transport

Mr Don Randall MP

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Emerging Trade Markets

Mr Mark Coulton MP

Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

(Leader of the Opposition in the Senate)

Senator the Hon Eric Abetz

Mr Michael Keenan MP

Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training

Senator Mathias Cormann

Shadow Attorney-General

Senator the Hon George Brandis SC

Mr Michael Keenan MP

(Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate)

Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection

Mr Michael Keenan MP

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Public Security and Policing

Mr Jason Wood MP

Shadow Treasurer

The Hon Joe Hockey

Senator Barnaby Joyce

Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs, Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law

(Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House)

Mr Luke Hartsuyker MP

Shadow Assistant Treasurer

The Hon Sussan Ley MP

Senator Mitch Fifield

Shadow Minister for COAG and Modernising the Federation

Senator Marise Payne

Hon Joe Hockey MP

Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training

(Manager of Opposition Business in the House)

The Hon Christopher Pyne MP

Senator the Hon Brett Mason

Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Childcare

The Hon Dr Sharman Stone MP

Senator Marise Payne

Shadow Minister for the Status of Women

The Hon Dr Sharman Stone MP

Senator Marise Payne

Shadow Minister for Youth and Sport

Mr Steven Ciobo MP

Senator the Hon Brett Mason

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education and School Curriculum Standards

Senator the Hon Brett Mason

Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs

(Deputy Leader of the Nationals)

Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion

The Hon Kevin Andrews MP

Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Infrastructure and Water

Senator Barnaby Joyce

The Hon. Ian Macfarlane MP

(Leader of the Nationals in the Senate)

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure

Senator Cory Bernardi

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin

Senator Simon Birmingham

Shadow parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development

Mr Mark Coulton MP

Senator Barnaby Joyce

Shadow Minister for Finance and Debt Reduction

Hon Andrew Robb AO MP

Senator Barnaby Joyce

(Chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee)

Shadow Special Minister of State and Scrutiny of Government Waste

Senator the Hon Michael Ronaldson

Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources

The Hon Ian Macfarlane MP

Senator the Hon George Brandis SC

Shadow Minister for Tourism and the Arts

Mr Steven Ciobo MP

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism

Mrs Jo Gash MP

Shadow Minister for Defence

Senator the Hon David Johnston

The Hon Bob Baldwin MP

Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel and Assisting Shadow Minister for Defence

The Hon Bob Baldwin MP

Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs

Mrs Louise Markus MP

Senator the Hon David Johnston

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence

Mr Stuart Robert MP

Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing

The Hon Peter Dutton MP

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells

Shadow Minister for Ageing

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health Services, Health and Wellbeing

Dr Andrew Southcott MP

Shadow Minister for Families, Housing and Human Services

The Hon Kevin Andrews MP

Senator Mitch Fifield

Shadow Minister for Seniors

The Hon Bronwyn Bishop MP

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector

Senator Mitch Fifield

(Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate)

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families, Housing and Human Services

Senator Gary Humphries

Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage

The Hon Greg Hunt MP

Senator the Hon Eric Abetz

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Action

Senator Simon Birmingham

Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Food Security, Fisheries and Forestry

The Hon John Cobb MP

Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck

Shadow Minister for Small Business, Deregulation, Competition Policy and Sustainable Cities

The Hon Bruce Billson MP

Senator the Hon Michael Ronaldson

Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

The Hon Tony Smith MP

Senator Mathias Cormann

Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship

Mr Scott Morrison MP

Senator Gary Humphries

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for population Policy

Senator Cory Bernardi

Mr Scott Morrison MP

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship

Senator Gary Humphries

Mr Scott Morrison MP

Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

Mrs Sophie Mirabella MP

Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

Senator the Hon. Richard Colbeck

Shadow Cabinet Ministers are shown in bold type.

In addition, the Hon Philip Ruddock MP will act as Shadow Cabinet Secretary.

2:01 pm

Photo of Barnaby JoyceBarnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Finance and Debt Reduction) Share this | | Hansard source

by leave—Obviously the National Party would like to concur with the remarks of Senator Abetz and Senator Evans. We found Senator Minchin to be a person of utmost integrity and a great person to work with. We wish him all the best and understand completely his reasons for needing more time.

Photo of John HoggJohn Hogg (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Bob Brown.

Opposition Senator:

Opposition senator interjecting

Photo of Bob BrownBob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

by leave—It comes naturally to me to be nice to Senator Abetz. I wish him very well and congratulate him on the leadership position and Senator Brandis on the deputy’s position, and a word of happy resting over there on the new seat for the former leader.

2:02 pm

Photo of Steve FieldingSteve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | | Hansard source

by leave—I also want to wish Senators Abetz and Brandis well and congratulate them on their leadership positions, and I wish Senator Minchin all the best. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Senator Minchin and will continue to. Your family will get you back, and it is good to see you putting your family first!

2:03 pm

Photo of Nick XenophonNick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | | Hansard source

by leave—Unlike Senator Brown, I am almost always on good terms with Senator Abetz, with some notable exceptions—but that may well change given his new role. I wish to congratulate Senator Abetz and Senator Brandis on their leadership positions. Also, to my fellow South Australian senator, Senator Minchin, I really do wish him all the best. I will not repeat my private conversations, but I think we are all with you given the traumatic events of the last few weeks. We are all delighted to see things are going much better for your lad. We are all very pleased about that.