Sussan Ley steps into Shadow Minister for Small and Family Business role as Opposition frontbench takes shape

Deputy Liberal Party Leader Sussan Ley has acquired the role of Shadow Minister for Small and Family Business, taking the lead on local enterprise in Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s new-look shadow ministry.

Dutton revealed his shadow ministry on Sunday, outlining the personnel he hopes will pressure the new Labor government.

Ley, already locked in as Deputy Liberal Party Leader, now occupies the role of Shadow Minister for Small and Family Business, and Shadow Minister for Industry, Skills, and Training.

“I will be watching closely to ensure Labor maintains our record growth in jobs, our support for training and apprenticeships, looks after small business and equips young people for the careers of the future,” Ley said in a statement posted to social media.

Ley’s new role adds to her unique professional background. Before entering politics in 2001, Ley worked as a mustering pilot in in rural New South Wales and Queensland, the operator for a family dairy farm, and a training director at the Australian Taxation Office, among other positions.

In assigning the small business and industry portfolios to the Liberal Party’s second-in-command, the party appears to have channeled Dutton’s claim that his opposition will attempt to woo the “forgotten people” in Australia’s SME sector.

And despite the May poll being widely regarded as Australia’s ‘climate election’, the national understudy on small business issues famously appealed a Federal Court ruling which declared the minister for the environment had a duty of care to young Australians regarding climate risk.

Her shadow ministry also represents a significant shake-up for the Liberal Party.

Stuart Robert — a close lieutenant of former prime ninister Scott Morrison, and until recently, the minister for employment, workforce, skills, small and family business — now serves as Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Financial Services in the Dutton-led Opposition.

In addition to her new focus on small business, Ley also occupies the role of Shadow Minister for Women.

Ley held the position of minister for the environment in the Morrison government.

Taylor steps into Shadow Treasurer role with reshuffles across the board

Angus Taylor, one-time minister for industry, energy and emissions reduction, now holds the Shadow Treasurer role, filling a vacancy created by the election loss of Josh Frydenberg.

Michael Sukkar — assistant treasurer under Morrison — was considered a potential replacement for Frydenberg in the lead-up to the election, but retains the housing portfolio in the shadow cabinet.

Senator Michaelia Cash, who served as minister for small & family business, skills & vocational education before taking over as attorney-general in the Morrison government, has taken up the role of Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

The hard-bargaining approach which typified her Morrison-era career is likely to continue.

“I look forward to holding the Albanese government to account, in particular in relation to the promises they have made Australian workers, which they have already shown they do not intend to keep,” she said Sunday.

Paul Fletcher, former communications minister, now occupies sits as the Shadow Minister for Science, the Digital Economy and Government Services.

Reflecting the industry-forward position of the Coalition, the Environment portfolio has been melded with Fisheries and Forestry under the purview of Senator Jonathan Duniam.

MP Ted O’Brien is Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy.

Shadow ministry and assistant ministry

• Peter Dutton MP: Leader of the Opposition
• Sussan Ley MP: Shadow Minister for Women, Shadow Minister for Industry, Skills and Training, Shadow Minister for Small and Family Business
• Karen Andrews MP: Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence
• Angie Bell MP: Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Shadow Minister for Youth
• Senator Simon Birmingham: Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Senator Michaelia Cash: Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
• Senator Claire Chandler: Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Senator Jonathan Duniam: Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry
• Paul Fletcher MP: Shadow Minister for Science, the Digital Economy and Government Services
• Andrew Gee MP: Shadow Minister for Regional Education, Shadow Minister for Regional Health, Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
• Andrew Hastie MP: Shadow Minister for Defence
• Senator Sarah Henderson: Shadow Minister for Communications
• Kevin Hogan MP: Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism
• Luke Howarth MP: Shadow Minister for Defence Industry, Shadow Minister for Defence Personnel
• Senator Hollie Hughes: Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy
• Senator Jane Hume: Shadow Minister for the Public Service, Shadow Minister for Finance, Shadow Special Minister of State
• Barnaby Joyce MP: Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
• Michelle Landry MP: Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing
• Julian Leeser MP: Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, Shadow Attorney-General
• David Littleproud MP: Shadow Minister for Agriculture
• Nola Marino MP: Shadow Assistant Minister for Education
• Senator Susan McDonald: Shadow Minister for Resources, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia
• Senator James McGrath: Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition, Shadow Assistant Minister for Finance
• Melissa McIntosh MP: Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
• Senator Bridget McKenzie: Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development
• Ted O’Brien MP: Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
• Tony Pasin MP: Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
• Senator James Patterson: Shadow Minister for Cyber Security
• Senator Marise Payne: Shadow Cabinet Secretary
• Gavin Pearce MP: Shadow Assistant Minister for Health, Aged Care and Indigenous Health Services
• Stuart Robert MP: Shadow Assistant Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Financial Services
• Senator Anne Ruston: Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Shadow Minister for Sport
• Senator Dean Smith: Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury
• Michael Sukkar MP: Shadow Minister for Social Services, Shadow Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Shadow Minister for Housing, Shadow Minister for Homelessness
• Angus Taylor MP: Shadow Treasurer
• Dan Tehan MP: Shadow Minister for Immigration, and Citizenship
• Phillip Thompson MP: Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence
• Alan Tudge MP: Shadow Minister for Education
• Rick Wilson MP: Shadow Assistant Minister for Trade
• Jason Wood MP: Shadow Minister for Community Safety, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs