Liberal leader Mark Speakman promotes two women in a mini reshuffle

Two outspoken Liberal MPs have been promoted in a mini Coalition reshuffle.

Two Liberal MPs have been promoted in a reshuffle.

A Liberal MP who defied her party by crossing the floor to support independent MP Alex Greenwich’s equality bill has been promoted to the frontbench under a mini-Coalition reshuffle.

Outspoken North Shore MP Felicity Wilson – who is also expected to use a Liberal Party conscience vote to support a Greens private members bill to increase access to abortion health care – will take on the women’s and Aboriginal affairs portfolios.

Ms Wilson is not the only MP to be promoted in the reshuffle prompted by the resignation of Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams with State opposition leader Mark Speakman also appointing Holsworthy MP Tina Ayyad the roles of Opposition assistant minister for south western Sydney, health and youth portfolios.

Ms Ayyad is a former Liverpool councillor and deputy mayor and also the wife of Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun.

She was the sole Liberal MP among a group of 22 parliamentarians to sign a statement declaring that they stood with Palestinians and the Palestinian-Australian community “facing a catastrophic crisis” after the October 7 attacks.

The letter – which opened with a condemnation of “terrible acts of terror committed by Hamas” and called on the Australian government to compel Israel to “comply with international humanitarian law” was released by a cross-parliamentary group called the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Palestine.

Pictured is Liberal MP Tina Ayyad. Picture: Facebook

More recently, Ms Ayyad has taken on the government over major local issues such as its delay in responding to a serious mosquito plague last year, which forced residents indoors.

Describing Ms Ayyad as a “powerhouse” for southwestern Sydney, Mr Speakman said the fellow moderate Liberal was never afraid to advocate for her constituents.

“She’s not afraid to speak up and she always puts her community first,” he said.

Mr Speakman also praised Ms Wilson for being a strong advocate for opportunity, equity and inclusion, describing the North Shore mum as someone who “gets what matters” to local families.

“And how to deliver,” he said.

Ms Wilson said she was keen to make a difference for women and Aboriginal communities.

For women, this included supporting reforms being put forward by Greens MLC Amanda Cohn to address the lack of abortion healthcare across NSW.

Liberal MP Felicity Wilson. Picture: AAP Image / Julian Andrews

While the Liberal Party denied its members a conscience vote on the equality bill, it has offered one for abortion.

Ms Wilson will also advocate for greater measures to protect women from violence.

In her maiden speech, Ms Wilson revealed how her family had been “scarred by domestic violence” and “mental health issues” – her father was later diagnosed with schizophrenia – with her mum forced to raise three children on her own.

“I know the fracturing impact on a childhood of family violence and mental illness. I know the hardship of poverty; the struggle on welfare,” she told parliament.

“While he was a loving man, his illness led him to be violent, and my sisters and I suffered the brunt of his disease for a number of years.”

Originally published as Liberal leader Mark Speakman promotes two women in a mini reshuffle