Following a change in leadership at the National Party, new appointments have been made to the Coalition Shadow Ministry, including a new Shadow Minister for Financial Services.
Several members of the Coalition Shadow Ministry have been replaced following the change in leadership at the National Party of Australia.
Last week, former leader David Littleproud announced his resignation in an emotional press conference, saying he was “buggered” and “exhausted” from the role that he took on in 2022. According to media interviews, the leader outlined that he did not believe he had the requisite energy to lead the party forward in the new Coalition, but wanted to help support the Coalition as it formed under Angus Taylor’s leadership.
With Senator Matt Canavan taking on the leadership position, there have been several changes to the Shadow Ministry that was first unveiled last month.
Canavan said: "I want to thank David Littleproud for his service as our leader for the past four years. It is a tough job and took guts for David to be upfront last week."
However, he added that Littleproud will continue to serve the Nationals team as Shadow Minister for Emergency Services.
Meanwhile, the former deputy leader of the Nationals, Kevin Hogan, will take on the Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Financial Services, replacing Pat Conaghan.
The Nationals leader said Hogan would use his “extensive experience in the finance sector to help develop sensible economic policies as part of the Coalition team”.
"The Nationals understand that we won't restore our living standards without a strong economy and we will be at the forefront of the economic debate,” he added.
Conaghan voiced his disappointment about losing his role as Shadow Assistant Treasury and Shadow Financial Services Minister, stating: “In politics, a change to the Party Leadership signals a change in the Ministerial teams and last week’s events have triggered this for the National Party.
“As a result, I will no longer be the Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Financial Services, based on the decision of new leader Matt Canavan.
“While I am of course disappointed by the decision, I respect that this is the process and remain absolutely committed to the National Party and our role in representing the real needs of regional people right across this beautiful country of ours.”
He thanked Littleproud for making him the first National Party member to hold a financial or economic portfolio in 70 years.
“During my time in the role, I acknowledged the weight of that and what that meant not just for the party, but Regional Australia as a whole.”
Conaghan said he was particularly proud of having fought against the “non-sensical unrealised Capital Gains Tax that would have placed real charges on imaginary earnings” and for those “caught up in the First Guardian and Shield collapses, whose retirement nest eggs were ripped away by unscrupulous players and a system that failed to protect them”.
He congratulated the new National Party Shadow Ministry and said he looked forward to “working as a team to hold this failing Government to account and as a Coalition provide a viable alternative in the best interests of all Australians”.
Other Shadow Ministry changes
Given Hogan’s move, his former responsibilities have been handed over to Canavan as Shadow Minister for Trade, Investment & Tourism.
Michael McCormack - a former leader of the Nationals and deputy Prime MInister between 2018-2021 - returns to the Opposition frontbench as Shadow Minister for Water and Veterans' Affairs - replacing Ross Cadell (who has been dropped from the frontbench) and Darren Chester (Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs).
"I welcome back Michael McCormack to our Shadow ministerial line up as the Shadow Minister for Water and Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs,” Canavan said.
“Michael knows the Murray Darling Basin having travelled the length and breadth of it in previous ministerial capacities and representing irrigation areas as a local member. Labor has ignored the benefits of dams and Michael will put them back on the agenda,” he said.
Chester, who is now the deputy leader of the Nationals, has taken on Littleproud’s former role leading agriculture, fisheries and forestry for the Coalition.
'A renewed vigour to take back Australia'
Canavan suggested that the Nationals shadow ministerial team is “probably the most experienced ever”, with over 18 years of combined Ministerial experience.
Matt Canavan, Darren Chester, Bridget McKenzie, Michael McCormack and David Littleproud have all served in Cabinet.
He commented: "I thank Angus Taylor for making these appointments. We are great mates and have already hit it off as two new leaders with a renewed vigour to take back Australia."
Looking to the future, he added: ""The Nationals love Australia and we want more Australian everything. To level up Australia, we need to expand Australia into more of our regions. More Australian farming, more Australian mining and more Australian manufacturing will equal more Australian jobs and higher Australian wages,” Senator Canavan said.
"The Nationals believe that a bigger regional Australia will make for a better Australia overall. If we provide more opportunities in our regions, people will move there from the cities, and that will free up houses and infrastructure for others.
"Plus, in the regions, families can afford a backyard big enough to play cricket in. More backyards will help protect the Australian way of life.”
Revealing the new shadow ministry appointments on Monday, the leader of the Opposition, Angus Taylor, stated: “Australians have endured the biggest collapse in living standards in the developed world and the Coalition is determined to turn that around.
“I have appointed a strong and experienced team from The Nationals who understand the pressures facing families, farmers, small businesses and regional communities.
“We must unapologetically defend Australian values and ensure our country is once again one of opportunity and aspiration, of freedom and safety.”
[Related: Shadow ministry revealed, Tim Wilson becomes shadow treasurer]
