South Australian Senator Simon Birmingham reappointed as Coalition Senate leader

Senator Simon Birmingham will continue to lead the Liberals in the upper house, as other SA MPs circle for roles on the Opposition’s frontbench.

South Australian senator Simon Birmingham will continue as the wounded Liberal Party’s leader in the upper house, as his SA colleague Anne Ruston is expected to get the nod for the Opposition health portfolio.

The Liberals’ Senate party room met on Monday afternoon and voted for Senator Birmingham to hold his leadership role.

It comes as Peter Dutton is elected unopposed as the new Liberals leader and David Littleproud as leader of the Nationals, defeating former Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce.

Moderate-aligned Senator Birmingham will literally swap offices in Parliament House with SA senator Penny Wong, who was sworn in as Foreign Affairs Minister last week and will continue leading Labor in the upper house.

“I look forward to building on our successes, acting on the lessons from our recent defeat, holding the new government to account and building a positive agenda to take to the next election,” Senator Birmingham said.

The Liberals have voted for Simon Birmingham to continue as the party’s Senate leader. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The Coalition will wait to see the make-up of Labor’s cabinet, which will be sworn in on Wednesday, before assembling its frontbench.

Liberal sources said they expect Senator Ruston to become Opposition health spokeswoman after she was promised to take over from Greg Hunt as Health Minister if the Coalition won the federal election.

Party insiders also told The Advertiser Barker MP Tony Pasin is expected to receive an Opposition frontbench role, given his close relationship with fellow conservative Peter Dutton, who was appointed leader unopposed on Monday.

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