The ALP’s new shadow ministry – and its unique WA focus

Opposition Leader, Anthony Albanese, has announced his shadow ministry and, as was the case with the Coalition, there is a careful balance of experience and new blood.

Mr Albanese’s front bench is made up of 12 women and 12 men, with 11 women in the shadow cabinet and Senator Jenny McAllister being appointed shadow cabinet secretary.

The Labor overhaul includes a new economics team, featuring Queensland MP Jim Chalmers as shadow treasurer, ACT senator Katy Gallagher as shadow minister for finance and NSW MP Stephen Jones as shadow assistant treasurer.

Victorian Member for Corio, Richard Marles, has been promoted to Deputy Opposition Leader. Party rules dictate the roles of leader and deputy must be shared between the Left and Right factions and Mr Albanese and previous deputy leader Tanya Plibersek both hail from the Left.

Which West Australians sit in Shadow Cabinet?

WA only has one representative in the shadow cabinet but the creation of a new portfolio for West Australian resources highlights a unique focus on the state.

Member for Rockingham, Madeleine King, has been given the trade portfolio and a spot within the shadow cabinet, as a promotion from her previous role as shadow minister for consumer affairs.

Member for Burt, Matt Keogh, has been promoted to shadow minister for defence industry, shadow minister assisting for small and family business and the new position of shadow minister for WA resources.

Member for Fremantle, Josh Wilson, has been appointed shadow assistant minister for environment, a responsibility that ties in closely with his electorate.

Senator Louise Pratt has been appointed shadow assistant minister for manufacturing.

Senator Pat Dodson has been appointed shadow assistant minister for reconciliation and constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians.

Shadow cabinet:

Hon Anthony Albanese MP
Leader of the Opposition

Hon Richard Marles MP
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Shadow minister for defence

Senator the Hon Penny Wong
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Shadow minister for foreign affairs

Senator the Hon Kristina Keneally
Deputy leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Shadow minister for home affairs
Shadow minister for immigration and citizenship

Hon Tony Burke MP
Shadow minister for industrial relations
Shadow minister for the arts
Manager of Opposition business in the House of Representatives

Hon Bill Shorten MP
Shadow minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Shadow minister for government services

Hon Tanya Plibersek MP
Shadow minister for education and training

Dr Jim Chalmers MP
Shadow treasurer

Hon Mark Butler MP
Shadow minister for climate change and energy
Deputy manager of Opposition business in the House of Representatives

Hon Chris Bowen MP
Shadow minister for health

Hon Catherine King MP
Shadow minister for infrastructure, transport and regional development

Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP
Shadow minister for agriculture and resources

Senator the Hon Don Farrell
Shadow special minister of state
Shadow minister for sport
Shadow minister for tourism
Shadow minister assisting the Leader of the Opposition

Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Shadow attorney-general
Shadow minister for constitutional reform

Michelle Rowland MP
Shadow minister for communications

Senator Katy Gallagher
Shadow minister for finance
Shadow minister for the public service
Manager of Opposition business in the Senate

Hon Linda Burney MP
Shadow minister for families and social services
Shadow minister for Indigenous Australians

Hon Julie Collins MP
Shadow minister for ageing and seniors
Shadow minister for women

Hon Brendan O’Connor MP
Shadow minister for employment and industry
Shadow minister for science
Shadow minister for small and family business

Hon Jason Clare MP
Shadow minister for regional services, territories and local government
Shadow minister for housing and homelessness

Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
Shadow minister for early childhood education
Shadow minister for youth

Terri Butler MP
Shadow minister for the environment and water

Madeleine King MP
Shadow minister for trade

Outer shadow ministry:

Stephen Jones MP
Shadow assistant treasurer
Shadow minister for financial services

Hon Shayne Neumann MP
Shadow minister for veterans’ affairs and defence personnel

Clare O’Neil MP
Shadow minister for innovation, technology and the future of work

Pat Conroy MP
Shadow minister for international development and the Pacific
Shadow minister assisting for climate change
Shadow minister assisting for defence

Andrew Giles MP
Shadow minister for cities and urban Infrastructure
Shadow minister for multicultural affairs
Shadow minister assisting for immigration and citizenship

Matt Keogh MP
Shadow minister for defence industry
Shadow minister for Western Australian resources
Shadow minister assisting for small and family business

Senator Murray Watt
Shadow minister for northern Australia
Shadow minister for natural disaster and emergency management

Shadow assistant ministers:

Senator Jenny McAllister
Shadow cabinet secretary
Shadow assistant minister to the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate

Senator Carol Brown
Shadow assistant minister for infrastructure and regional tourism
Shadow assistant minister for Tasmania

Senator Patrick Dodson
Shadow assistant minister for reconciliation
Shadow assistant minister for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians

Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP
Shadow assistant minister for Treasury
Shadow assistant minister for charities

Hon Warren Snowdon MP
Shadow assistant minister for northern Australia
Shadow assistant minister for external territories
Shadow assistant minister for Indigenous Australians

Graham Perrett MP
Shadow assistant minister for education and training

Emma McBride MP
Shadow assistant minister for mental health
Shadow assistant minister for carers

Senator Glenn Sterle
Shadow assistant minister for road safety

Hon Dr Mike Kelly AM MP
Shadow assistant minister for defence

Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP
Shadow assistant minister for financial services
Shadow assistant minister for the republic

Ged Kearney MP
Shadow assistant minister for skills
Shadow assistant minister for aged care

Josh Wilson MP
Shadow assistant minister for the environment

Senator Kimberley Kitching
Shadow assistant minister for government accountability
Deputy manager of Opposition business in the Senate

Senator Louise Pratt
Shadow assistant minister for manufacturing

Tim Watts MP
Shadow assistant minister for communications
Shadow assistant minister for cyber security

Jennifer Kirk is an Associate Director in Purple’s Government Relations team and spent more than seven years working for the Commonwealth government, including leading stakeholder and regional engagement on important economic policy reform during her time in the Treasury Perth office. Contact Jennifer.

 More Purple news:

• What it’s really like to be a new cabinet minister
• The new Coalition ministry – who’s in, who’s out and what does it mean for WA?
• What to expect from the re-elected Coalition Government
• The questions we’re asking after the Federal Election result
• The numbers that matter: State Budget 2019-20
• Why I ditched my iPhone (and what I learned from it)
• How Facebook could help decide the Federal Election
• Don’t get caught up in the language on social licence