Opposition Leader Angus Taylor unveils new - look shadow ministry | The North West Star

northweststar.com.au · Feb 17, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has unveiled his new-look shadow ministry.Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue readingAll articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperAll other in your areaMr Taylor, elected the Liberal Party's new leader on Friday in a leadership spill that removed Sussan Ley - the party's first woman leader - after just nine months, has elevated allies and demoted foes in a major refresh announced on Tuesday afternoon."Today marks a fresh beginning," he told reporters in Sydney."An opportunity to put the past behind us and to remember that our historic strength comes through unity."Claire Chandler, Angus Taylor, Jane Hume and Tim Wilson. Pictures by Keegan Carroll, Gary Ramage and Paul ScamblerDeputy Liberal Party leader Jane Hume, who opted not to take the treasury portfolio that the deputy leader is traditionally offered, has been appointed opposition spokesperson for employment and industrial relations, productivity and deregulation.Tim Wilson, who was Ms Ley's industrial relations and employment spokesperson, has been appointed Shadow Treasurer, confirming days of speculation."He is a proven fighter against Labor's taxes that are making Australians poorer," Mr Taylor said.Tasmanian senator Claire Chandler, a conservative who resigned from her former position as shadow minister for science and cybersecurity to back Mr Taylor's leadership tilt last week, has been appointed finance, public service and government services spokesperson.James Paterson, a conservative who had held that portfolio under Ms Ley, has been appointed shadow defence minister.Mr Taylor said that Senator Paterson "will be relentless, as he always is, in holding Labor to account for its failures on defence funding, readiness and delivery, because deterrence depends on capability, not slogans."Phillip Thompson has been given the defence industry and defence personnel portfolio, which Mr Taylor said he had decided to elevate to shadow cabinet "in recognition of the growing strategic challenges Australia now faces."Fellow national right senator Jonno Duniam has retained home affairs and also handed immigration, the portfolio previously held by Ley loyalist Paul Scarr.Mr Taylor said the Coalition under his leadership would "stand for immigration policy that puts the interests of Australians first" and that "for too long, immigration numbers have been too high, standards have been too low."Tony Pasin has been handed the newly-created portfolio of scrutiny of government waste and accountability, while Jacinta Nampijinpa Price - who held a similar portfolio under former opposition leader Peter Dutton before Ms Ley demoted her to the backbench - has been handed the small business, skills and training portfolio. Mr Wilson served as assistant minister to Mr Taylor when he was industry, energy and emissions reduction minister in the last eight months of the Morrison government, before losing his inner-Melbourne seat of Goldstein to independent Zoe Daniel at the 2022 federal election. He has made no secret of his ambitions since winning the traditionally blue-ribbon seat back for the Liberal Party at the 2025 federal poll.Senator Price made headlines during the 2025 federal election campaign with her call to "make Australia great again" just as the gloss was wearing off United States President Donald Trump's gutting out of public services.She had been Mr Dutton's government efficiency spokesperson and spruiked a plan to set up an Australian version of Mr Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) within PM&C.Andrew Hastie, who quit Ms Ley's frontbench last year after clashing over immigration policy, was named Mr Taylor's shadow minister for industry and sovereign capability, as well as deputy leader in the House of Representatives.All Nationals who served on Ms Ley's frontbench, who had temporarily resigned during the Coalition's split, have been reappointed by Mr Taylor to their previous roles.This means Nationals leader David Littleproud has agriculture, while his deputy Kevin Hogan has trade, investment and tourism and the party's Senate leader Bridget McKenzie retains infrastructure, transport and regional development.Fellow Nationals member Darren Chester retains veterans' affairs, Anne Wester regional development, local government and territories, Susan McDonald resources and Ross Cadell the water and emergency management portfolios. Aaron Violi has been promoted to the shadow minister in the digital economy, science, technology and innovation, as well as cyber security, portfolios, while Melissa McIntosh has been appointed shadow minister women and handed the families and social services and NDIS portfolios. Former education spokesperson Sarah Henderson has been appointed shadow minister for communications and digital safety.Matt O'Sullivan has been handed the portfolio rebranded as choice in childcare and early learning, along with child protection and the prevention of family violence.Michaelia Cash has been returned to her former role as shadow attorney-general, which she held under Mr Dutton after serving as attorney-general in the Morrison government.Senator Cash had held the foreign affairs portfolio under Ms Ley.Dan Tehan will continue as shadow minister for energy and emissions reduction and assume the role of manager of opposition business in the House of Representatives. James McGrath was re-appointed as shadow special minister of state, as well as shadow minister for urban infrastructure and cities, the Olympics and Paralympics.Julian Leeser continues as education spokesperson while picking up the indigenous Australians portfolio.Angie Bell has moved from early childhood education to youth, arts and sport.Andrew Bragg has retained his former housing portfolio and has also been handed environment, while fellow moderate Anne Ruston has kept the health portfolio.Ted O'Brien, who had served as Ms Ley's shadow treasurer, has moved to foreign affairs. Ley supporters Alex Hawke (who was House manager of opposition business and shadow industry and innovation minister), Scott Buccholz (who held the skills and training portfolio) and Andrew Wallace (who was shadow attorney-general) have been dumped from the opposition front bench. Correction: This story has been updated to clarify a portfolio error.More from National