Australian shadow ministry (2013–2019)
The Shadow Ministry of Bill Shorten was the opposition Australian Labor Party shadow ministry from October 2013 to May 2019, opposing the Abbott government , Turnbull government and Morrison government .
The Opposition Front Bench is a group of senior Opposition spokespeople who are regarded as the alternative Cabinet to the Cabinet of Australia , whose members shadow or mark each individual Minister or portfolio of the Government. Neither the Shadow Cabinet nor the Shadow Ministers have any official status in the Parliament of Australia . The Shadow Cabinet's membership is determined by the rules and practices of the Opposition party.
From 2013 Labor leadership ballot resulting from the 2013 Australian federal election , to 2019 , the Shadow Cabinet was led by former Opposition Leader Bill Shorten of the Australian Labor Party . Prime Ministers Tony Abbott , Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison led the Liberal /National Coalition governments during this time.
First Shadow Ministry (2013-2016)[ edit ]
Bill Shorten announced the first arrangement of his Shadow Ministry on 18 October 2013.[ 1] Shadow Assistant Minister for Health Melissa Parke resigned on 17 February 2014[ 2] On 4 March, she was replaced in that role by Stephen Jones . Alannah MacTiernan was appointed to Jones's previous role as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure and was also appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Western Australia.
On 1 July 2014, Don Farrell 's Senate term expired. Farrell's portfolios of Veterans’ Affairs the Centenary of ANZAC were added to those of David Feeney . Amanda Rishworth replaced Farrell in the Ministry as Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Higher Education. Nick Champion replaced Rishworth as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health. Louise Pratt 's Senate term expired at the same time. She was replaced as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water by Lisa Singh , whose position as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General was taken by Graham Perrett . Joel Fitzgibbon also added the portfolio of Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs to his existing Agriculture portfolio.
Officeholder
Office(s)
Bill Shorten MP
Tanya Plibersek MP
Senator Penny Wong
Senator Stephen Conroy
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Shadow Minister for Defence
Chris Bowen MP
Tony Burke MP
Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for the Arts
Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives
Senator Kim Carr
Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science
Shadow Minister for Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Industry
Anthony Albanese MP
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Shadow Minister for Tourism
Mark Butler MP
Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water
Jason Clare MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Kate Ellis MP
Shadow Minister for Education
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood
Joel Fitzgibbon MP
Shadow Minister for Agriculture
Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs (from 1 July 2014)
Gary Gray MP
Shadow Minister for Resources
Shadow Minister for Northern Australia
Shadow Special Minister of State
Catherine King MP
Shadow Minister for Health
Jenny Macklin MP
Shadow Minister for Families and Payments
Shadow Minister for Disability Reform
Richard Marles MP
Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
Shayne Neumann MP
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs
Shadow Minister for Ageing
Brendan O'Connor MP
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Outer Shadow Ministry [ edit ]
Officeholder
Office(s)
Bernie Ripoll MP
Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Small Business
Shadow Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
Shadow Minister for Sport
Senator Claire Moore
Shadow Minister for Women
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate
Shadow Minister for Carers
Shadow Minister for Communities
Senator Don Farrell
Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC (until 1 July 2014)
Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs (until 1 July 2014)
David Feeney MP
Shadow Minister for Justice
Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence
Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC (from 1 July 2014)
Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs (from 1 July 2014)
Julie Collins MP
Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government
Shadow Minister for Employment Services
Andrew Leigh MP
Shadow Assistant Treasurer
Shadow Minister for Competition
Sharon Bird MP
Shadow Minister for Vocational Education
Michelle Rowland MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications
Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multiculturalism
Melissa Parke MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Health (until 19 February 2014)
Stephen Jones MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Health (from 4 March 2014)
Senator Jan McLucas
Shadow Minister for Mental Health
Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Senator Doug Cameron
Shadow Minister for Human Services
Amanda Rishworth MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Education (from 24 June 2014)
Shadow Assistant Minister for Higher Education (from 24 June 2014)
Shadow Parliamentary Secretaries [ edit ]
Officeholder
Office(s)
Julie Owens MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education
Senator Jacinta Collins
Shadow Cabinet Secretary
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
Michael Danby MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts
Jim Chalmers MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Investment
Matt Thistlethwaite MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration
Gai Brodtmann MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence
Stephen Jones MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure (until 4 March 2014)
Alannah MacTiernan MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure (from 4 March 2014)
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Western Australia (from 4 March 2014)
Warren Snowdon MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for External Territories
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous Affairs
Ed Husic MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer
Senator Louise Pratt
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water (until 24 June 2014)
Tony Zappia MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Manufacturing
Senator Lisa Singh
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General (until 24 June 2014)
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water (from 24 June 2014)
Graham Perrett MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General (from 24 June 2014)
Amanda Rishworth MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health (until 24 June 2014)
Nick Champion MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health (from 24 June 2014)
Senator Carol Brown
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Payments
Senator Helen Polley
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care
Michelle Rowland and Katy Gallagher were promoted to the Shadow Cabinet on 13 October 2015.[ 3] The final arrangement of the Shadow Ministry prior to the 2016 election was announced in October 2015.[ 4]
Officeholder
Office(s)
Bill Shorten MP
Tanya Plibersek MP
Senator Penny Wong
Senator Stephen Conroy
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Shadow Minister for Defence
Chris Bowen MP
Michelle Rowland MP
Shadow Minister for Small Business
Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multiculturalism
Tony Burke MP
Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for the Arts
Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives
Senator Kim Carr
Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science
Shadow Minister for Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Industry
Anthony Albanese MP
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Shadow Minister for Cities
Shadow Minister for Tourism
Senator Katy Gallagher
Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader on State and Territory Relations
Shadow Minister for Mental Health
Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Mark Butler MP
Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water
Jason Clare MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Kate Ellis MP
Shadow Minister for Education
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood
Joel Fitzgibbon MP
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs
Gary Gray MP
Shadow Minister for Resources
Shadow Minister for Northern Australia
Shadow Special Minister of State
Catherine King MP
Shadow Minister for Health
Jenny Macklin MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Families and Payments
Shadow Minister for Disability Reform
Richard Marles MP
Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
Shayne Neumann MP
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs
Shadow Minister for Ageing
Brendan O'Connor MP
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Outer Shadow Ministry [ edit ]
Officeholder
Office(s)
Senator Claire Moore
Shadow Minister for Women
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate
Shadow Minister for Carers
Shadow Minister for Communities
David Feeney MP
Shadow Minister for Justice
Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence
Julie Collins MP
Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government
Shadow Minister for Employment Services
Andrew Leigh MP
Shadow Assistant Treasurer
Shadow Minister for Competition
Sharon Bird MP
Shadow Minister for Vocational Education
Stephen Jones MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Health
Senator Doug Cameron
Shadow Minister for Human Services
Amanda Rishworth MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Education
Shadow Assistant Minister for Higher Education
Dr Jim Chalmers MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Financial Services and Superannation
Shadow Assistant Minister for Productivity
Shadow Assistant Minister for Trade and Investment
Shadow Minister for Sport
Shadow Parliamentary Secretaries [ edit ]
Officeholder
Office(s)
Julie Owens MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business
Senator Jacinta Collins
Shadow Cabinet Secretary
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
Michael Danby MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts
Ed Husic MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition Assisting with Digital Innovation and Startups
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer
Terri Butler MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Child Safety and Prevention of Family Violence
Senator Sam Dastyari
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
Deputy Manager of Opposition Business (Senate)
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Youth
Matt Thistlethwaite MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration
Gai Brodtmann MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence
Alannah MacTiernan MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure
Warren Snowdon MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for External Territories
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous Affairs
Senator Lisa Singh
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water
Tony Zappia MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health
Graham Perrett MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General
Nick Champion MP
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Manufacturing
Senator Carol Brown
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Payments
Senator Helen Polley
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care
Second Shadow Ministry (2016-2019)[ edit ]
Initial arrangement [ edit ]
Following the narrow defeat at the 2016 election , the Australian Labor Party re-elected Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek as leader and deputy leader respectively. On 23 July 2016, the Shadow Cabinet was announced.[ 5] [ 6]
Sam Dastyari resigned from the Ministry on 7 September 2016.[ 7] He was replaced as Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs by Tim Hammond and by Katy Gallagher as Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate. Deborah O'Neill replaced Hammond as Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation, also being appointed Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health. Warren Snowdon added the position of Shadow Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health to his existing portfolios. Hammond was not replaced as Shadow Assistant Minister for Digital Economy and Startups or Shadow Assistant Minister for Resources and Western Australia. Instead, Ed Husic was appointed as Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy on 11 October 2016.
In 2017, Kate Ellis announced her intention to retire from Parliament at the next election. She was replaced as Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Development by Amanda Rishworth , who entered the Shadow Cabinet. The TAFE portfolio was given to Doug Cameron and the training portfolio was given to Tanya Plibersek .
Katy Gallagher resigned from the shadow ministry pending a ruling on her eligibility for election to Parliament
Officeholder
Office(s)
Bill Shorten MP
Tanya Plibersek MP
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Minister for Education (until 24 October 2017)
Shadow Minister for Education and Training (from 24 October 2017)
Shadow Minister for Women
Senator Penny Wong
Senator Stephen Conroy
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Shadow Special Minister of State
Shadow Minister for Sport
Chris Bowen MP
Senator Katy Gallagher
Shadow Minister for Small Business and Financial Services
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate (from 14 September 2016)
Tony Burke MP
Kate Ellis MP
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Development (until 24 October 2017)
Shadow Minister for TAFE and Vocational Education (until 24 October 2017)
Mark Butler MP
Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
Jenny Macklin MP
Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services
Richard Marles MP
Shadow Minister for Defence
Anthony Albanese MP
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development
Shadow Minister for Tourism
Dr Jim Chalmers MP
Shadow Minister for Finance
Brendan O'Connor MP
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for National Security
Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives
Shayne Neumann MP
Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
Senator Kim Carr
Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
Michelle Rowland MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Joel Fitzgibbon MP
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Shadow Minister for Rural and Regional Australia
Jason Clare MP
Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia
Shadow Minister for Trade and Investment
Catherine King MP
Shadow Minister for Health and Medicare
Julie Collins MP
Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health
Amanda Rishworth MP
Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs (outside Shadow Cabinet until 24 October 2017)
Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence Personnel (outside Shadow Cabinet until 24 October 2017)
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Development (from 24 October 2017)
Outer Shadow Ministry [ edit ]
Officeholder
Office(s)
Senator Doug Cameron
Shadow Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships (until 24 October 2017)
Shadow Minister for Skills, TAFE and Apprenticeships (from 24 October 2017
Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Senator Claire Moore
Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific
Andrew Leigh MP
Shadow Assistant Treasurer
Shadow Minister for Competition and Productivity
Shadow Minister for Charities and Not-for-Profits
Shadow Minister for Trade in Services
Senator Sam Dastyari
Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs (until 7 September 2016)
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate (until 7 September 2016)
Linda Burney MP
Shadow Minister for Human Services
Senator Carol Brown
Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers
Amanda Rishworth MP
Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence Personnel
Stephen Jones MP
Shadow Minister for Regional Communications
Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government
Ed Husic MP
Shadow Minister for Employment Services and Workforce Participation
Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy (from 11 October 2016)
Clare O'Neil MP
Shadow Minister for Justice
Tim Hammond MP
Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs (from 14 September 2016)
Shadow Assistant Ministers [ edit ]
Officeholder
Office(s)
Senator Pat Dodson
Shadow Assistant Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Senator Jacinta Collins
Shadow Cabinet Secretary
Shadow Assistant Minister for Early Childhood
Shadow Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Australia
Terri Butler MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Preventing Family Violence
Shadow Assistant Minister for Universities
Shadow Assistant Minister for Equality
Tim Hammond MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Digital Economy and Startups (until 14 September 2016)
Shadow Assistant Minister for Resources and Western Australia (until 14 September 2016)
Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation (until 14 September 2016)
Senator Helen Polley
Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader (Tasmania)
Shadow Assistant Minister for Ageing
Andrew Giles MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Schools
Matt Thistlethwaite MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Treasury
Julie Owens MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Small Business
Shadow Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Australia
Pat Conroy MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for the Climate Change
Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure
Senator Louise Pratt
Shadow Assistant Minister for Equality
Shadow Assistant Minister for Universities
Warren Snowdon MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
Shadow Assistant Minister for External Affairs
Shadow Assistant Minister for Northern Australia
Shadow Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health (from 14 September 2016)
Gai Brodtmann MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence Personnel
Mike Kelly AM , MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence Industry and Support
Nick Champion MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Science
Lisa Chesters MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Australia
Tony Zappia MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Medicare
Senator Deborah O'Neill
Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation (from 14 September 2016)
Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health (from 14 September 2016)
Officeholder
Office(s)
Bill Shorten MP
Tanya Plibersek MP
Senator Penny Wong
Senator Don Farrell
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Shadow Special Minister of State
Shadow Minister for Sport
Chris Bowen MP
Shadow Treasurer
Shadow Minister for Small Business
Tony Burke MP
Shadow Minister for Environment and Water
Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Australia
Shadow Minister for the Arts
Manager of Opposition Business
Mark Butler MP
Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
Linda Burney MP
Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services
Shadow Minister for Preventing Family Violence
Richard Marles MP
Shadow Minister for Defence
Amanda Rishworth MP
Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Shadow Minister for Defence Personnel
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Development
Anthony Albanese MP
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development
Shadow Minister for Tourism
Jim Chalmers MP
Shadow Minister for Finance
Brendan O'Connor MP
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for National Security
Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives
Shayne Neumann MP
Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
Senator Kim Carr
Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
Michelle Rowland MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Joel Fitzgibbon MP
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Shadow Minister for Rural and Regional Australia
Jason Clare MP
Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia
Shadow Minister for Trade and Investment
Catherine King MP
Shadow Minister for Health and Medicare
Julie Collins MP
Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health
Outer Shadow Ministry [ edit ]
Officeholder
Office(s)
Senator Doug Cameron
Shadow Minister for Skills, TAFE and Apprenticeships
Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Senator Claire Moore
Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific
Andrew Leigh MP
Shadow Assistant Treasurer
Shadow Minister for Competition and Productivity
Shadow Minister for Charities and Not-for-Profits
Shadow Minister for Trade in Services
Senator Carol Brown
Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers
Stephen Jones MP
Shadow Minister for Regional Communications
Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government
Ed Husic MP
Shadow Minister for Digital Economy
Shadow Minister for Human Services
Clare O'Neil MP
Shadow Minister for Justice
Shadow Minister for Financial Services
Madeleine King MP
Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs
Shadow Minister Assisting for Small Business
Shadow Minister Assisting for Resources
Terri Butler MP
Shadow Minister for Young Australians and Youth Affairs
Shadow Minister for Employment Services, Workforce Participation and Future of Work
Shadow Assistant Ministers [ edit ]
Officeholder
Office(s)
Senator Pat Dodson
Shadow Assistant Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Senator Helen Polley
Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader (Tasmania)
Shadow Assistant Minister for Ageing
Andrew Giles MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Schools
Matt Thistlethwaite MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Treasury
Shadow Assistant Minister for an Australian Head of State
Julie Owens MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Small Business
Shadow Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Australia
Pat Conroy MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for the Climate Change
Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure
Senator Jenny McAllister
Shadow Assistant Minister for Families and Communities
Senator Louise Pratt
Shadow Assistant Minister for Equality
Shadow Assistant Minister for Universities
Warren Snowdon MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
Shadow Assistant Minister for External Territories
Shadow Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health
Shadow Assistant Minister for Northern Australia
Gai Brodtmann MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence
Mike Kelly AM , MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence Industry and Support
Lisa Chesters MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Australia
Shadow Assistant Minister for Workplace Relations
Tony Zappia MP
Shadow Assistant Minister for Medicare
Senator Deborah O'Neill
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate
Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation
Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health
Senator Glenn Sterle
Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety
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