Dutton to announce new Coalition shadow cabinet after Christmas

Peter Dutton will unveil a new-look front bench after Christmas amid a push from conservative Liberal MPs for greater representation within the party’s senior ranks.

Peter Dutton will unveil a new-look front bench after Christmas amid a push from conservative Liberal MPs for greater representation within the Coalition’s senior ranks to reflect their strong numbers in the party room.

The imminent Coalition shadow cabinet reshuffle sparked by the retirement announcements of foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham, and Coalition government services, science and arts spokesman Paul Fletcher – who are both from the moderate faction of the Liberal Party – has fuelled simmering tensions within the currently dominant conservative faction of the party room.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton is due to announce a reshuffle after Christmas. Picture: NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Despite the right holding a strong majority within the Coalition, Mr Dutton’s cabinet has tended to more evenly represent the factions, something conservative MPs have long grumbled was unfair.

Coalition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham is retiring at the next election. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Coalition Coalition government services, science and arts spokesman Paul Fletcher is also retiring. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Amid speculations Mr Fletcher and Mr Birmingham would be replaced with notionally moderate members, such as former Morrison Government minister Alex Hawke and one-time opposition frontbencher Julian Leeser, several conservative Liberal MPs have privately raised concerns.

In particular, conservative backbench MPs are angry at the potential return of Mr Leeser to a senior position less than two years after he resigned from shadow cabinet in order to campaign in favour of the Voice to Parliament referendum, which put him at odds with the majority of the federal Coalition.

NSW MP Alex Hawke with Scott Morrison during Question Time before the former PM retired. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Hawke is also viewed as a controversial pick, with one Liberal MP saying his promotion would have a “destabilising” impact on the party room given his close association with the now-defunct centre right faction that installed former prime minister Scott Morrison as leader, as well as his “interference” with federal preselections in NSW ahead of the 2022 election.

Anthony Albanese will also have to announce a reshuffle in the next month when NDIS Minister Bill Shorten is due to depart politics and start his new role as vice chancellor of the University of Canberra.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese must replace retiring NDIS Minister Bill Shorten when he leaves politics in January. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

The Prime Minister could assign Mr Shorten’s portfolios to existing cabinet ministers on an interim basis until the election, which can be held any time from now until May, or choose to promote from the outer ranks of the government’s ministerial team.

Though necessary, both Mr Albanese and Mr Dutton have been reticent to pull focus with their respective reshuffles, instead looking to sharpen their political attacks ahead of the election.

On Sunday, Mr Dutton took aim at Anthony Albanese on Sunday accusing him of “blaming” incoming US-President Donald Trump for not announcing a 2035 emissions reduction target before Australians are sent to the polls next year.

Mr Dutton said the Prime Minister had “blamed Putin, Netanyahu, and everyone else for the Albanese government’s economic and energy policy disasters”.

“And now, instead of owning up to the fact that he doesn’t want to release the rate of his 2035 target electricity tax before the election, he’s blaming — wait for it — Donald Trump,” he said.

Climate Change and Energy Minister fired back at the Coalition leader, pointing out it was Mr Dutton’s policy to release both its 2030 and 2035 targets “after the election”.

“Also, you (Mr Dutton) have no plan for energy other than expensive technology that is more than a decade away,” Mr Bowen said.

“Even your own modelling doesn’t pretend it will cut bills.”

Originally published as Dutton to announce new Coalition shadow cabinet after Christmas