The Aussies picked for parliament’s ‘dream team’
From Patty Mills to an infectious diseases expert, these are the Aussie champions who have been tapped to be part of a perfect parliamentary line-up.
Victoria
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With the federal election just months away, the polls show more and more Australians are turning to minor parties and independents, and away from Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese. So as the silly season begins, the Herald Sun has picked a dream team government the whole country could get behind.
PRIME MINISTER
Patty Mills
It’s been a while since we’ve had someone in The Lodge who could truly inspire. So while the Boomers captain Patty Mills has no political experience, he has the leadership skills, the determination and the heart to take charge. In a year where Mills did it all – led the Boomers to their first Olympic medal, became the first Indigenous Australian to carry the flag, won The Don Award – we couldn’t look past him to be our PM.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Scott Morrison
This is a demotion for Scott Morrison, but with Mills in charge we need a steady hand as his deputy. Morrison is quietly sneaking up the list of Australia’s most experienced prime ministers on the back of his pragmatic problem-solving and relentless campaigning.
TREASURER
Jennifer Westacott
Politicians like to talk about the business-led recovery from the Covid crisis, so who better than Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott to ensure the government is backing the private sector – and getting out of their way.
HOME AFFAIRS
Michelle Chan
Michelle Chan might be the most powerful woman in the federal government, although no one outside of Canberra knows her. As Scott Morrison’s trusted security adviser, she would be well equipped to take on Home Affairs – if she wanted to step out from the shadows.
FINANCE
Mathias Cormann
You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Mathias Cormann was Australia’s longest-serving finance minister before leaving for the OECD. His efforts to keep the budget in check are missed in Liberal ranks, especially since Covid hit.
DEFENCE
Peter Dutton
The only minister to keep his role in our dream team, Peter Dutton has shaken up defence in a way few have been able to do. But the hard work is only just starting to implement the AUKUS deal and build a nuclear submarine fleet.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Penny Wong
After five and a half years in the shadow role, Penny Wong has paid her dues, and she is certainly in the limelight more than current minister Marise Payne. She could be the good cop to Dutton’s bad cop with China.
HEALTH
Sharon Lewin
With Greg Hunt retiring, there’s an opening here during the ongoing Covid fight. Maybe we could twist the arm of infectious diseases expert Professor Sharon Lewin to give up her job in charge of the Doherty Institute. She is a proven leader who is cool in a crisis.
EDUCATION
Anthony Albanese
We couldn’t leave out the leader of the Opposition. His Labor values would fit perfectly in reforming the education and training system to fill skills shortages and prepare the workforce for the jobs of the future.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Bill Shorten
This should really be the Minister for Victoria – and if you think that’s a joke, check out Anthony Albanese’s frontbench with shadow ministers for Tasmania and WA. So Bill Shorten would be perfect to get the cash flowing to his home state, as long as Daniel Andrews worked with him, if only to make up for costing Shorten the 2016 election with the CFA saga.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Jill Hennessy
A reforming Attorney-General in the Victorian government, Jill Hennessy shocked her colleagues by stepping away from cabinet then retiring this year. They had thought she could be the state’s next premier – what about the nation’s next chief law officer?
GOVERNMENT SERVICES
John Frewen
When Scott Morrison needed to fix the vaccine rollout, he turned to Lieutenant General John Frewen. He could deliver the same logistical magic in government services. Centrelink wouldn’t know what hit it
.
WOMEN
Grace Tame
Grace Tame is a force to be reckoned with. While she hasn’t always been able to win over politicians on reforms to improve the safety of women and children, this frontbench role would give her more influence than as Australian of the Year.
AGRICULTURE
Darren Chester
Darren Chester is the Nationals MP everyone seems to like, except Barnaby Joyce and his colleagues in Queensland. Joyce has sacked him twice. Third time lucky?
ENERGY AND EMISSIONS REDUCTION
Kerry Schott
There are few bigger issues that Australians understand less than the transformation of our energy system. But as the ex-head of the Energy Security Board, Kerry Schott had a knack for cutting through the confusion. She could take the politics out of the climate wars.
TRADE
Christopher Pyne
Don’t worry about the portfolio, the parliament simply needs Christopher Pyne back as Leader of the House. Question Time hasn’t been the same since he retired.
COMMUNICATIONS
Josh Frydenberg
This portfolio covers some pretty weighty issues, but we’re handing it to Josh Frydenberg because there is no one more committed to communicating. He works the phones better than any press secretary, so he should be the dream team government’s spokesman.
SPORT
Brendon Gale
It’s long been thought that Brendon Gale’s next job will be running the AFL. There’s no one better qualified than the Richmond chief. But both sides of politics have considered him as an MP – so maybe if Gillon McLachlan sticks around, Gale can leap to Canberra.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Gladys Berejiklian
In reality, the former NSW premier’s ICAC issues will prevent her shifting to Canberra any time soon. But for our dream team, she would be a rockstar recruit as one of Australia’s most popular politicians – even if Victorians haven’t forgiven her for our third Covid wave.
EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Sally McManus
As Australia’s top unionist, Sally McManus infuriated some of her dream team colleagues by backing workers to break unjust laws. But she also worked collaboratively with the Coalition at the height of the Covid crisis. Maybe she could get even more done inside the tent?
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