Peter Dutton’s frontbench reshuffle is a much-needed shake-up that will put underperforming shadow ministers on notice.
It’s a larger change than many Liberals expected, and the opposition leader has made some politically astute appointments.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has brought many more colleagues onto the Coalition frontbench.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
For too long, too few in the opposition have done too much of the heavy lifting while others have been largely absent.
Dutton has avoided making enemies by not removing any senior shadow cabinet ministers but won new friends by announcing a slew of new assistant roles.
After the Dunkley byelection defeat, which – despite the public bravado – left some Liberals disappointed, the opposition leader is signalling he wants more members of his team to step up and be involved in policy formulation.
It is not the appointment of Luke Howarth as shadow assistant treasurer and spokesman for financial services that signals Dutton’s intent: Howarth is a solid performer, an ally of Dutton’s in Queensland, has held other junior portfolios in government and opposition and gets a deserved chance to step up to a more prominent role after 11 years in parliament.
Nor is the rise of NSW MP Melissa McIntosh, a new entrant to the shadow ministry. She has been charged with talking about energy affordability and is now the opposition spokeswoman for western Sydney. As long as McIntosh sheds her media shyness, this is an opportunity for her.
And opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson’s meteoric rise continues. He has added the low-profile position of shadow cabinet secretary to his responsibilities, a critical appointment in a year in which the Coalition will look to formulate and release major pre-election policies. It also signals how highly Dutton rates the 36-year-old.
Dutton’s reshuffle won’t fix everything for the Coalition – but it’s a good start
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05.03.2024
Peter Dutton’s frontbench reshuffle is a much-needed shake-up that will put underperforming shadow ministers on notice.
It’s a larger change than many Liberals expected, and the opposition leader has made some politically astute appointments.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has brought many more colleagues onto the Coalition frontbench.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
For too long, too few in the opposition have done too much of the heavy lifting while........
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