Coalition next generation for lead roles

Peter Dutton and David Littleproud will usher in a new generation of Liberal and Nationals frontbenchers when they unveil their opposition team later this week.

New Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Tracey Nearmy

The Coalition’s new leadership team, Peter Dutton and David Littleproud, will usher in a new generation of Liberal and Nationals frontbenchers when they unveil their opposition team later this week.

Andrew Hastie, Jane Hume, Michael Sukkar, Jonathon Duniam, James Paterson, Andrew Bragg, Bridget Archer and Phillip Thompson are being tipped for opposition frontbench roles in an overhaul of the Coalition line-up.

In addition to Liberal and ­Nationals deputy leaders Sussan Ley and Perin Davey claiming key ­opposition portfolios, Michaelia Cash, Anne Ruston, Karen ­Andrews and Bridget McKenzie will bolster female representation in Mr Dutton’s shadow cabinet.

Mr Dutton and Ms Ley have conceded they lost female voters at the May 21 election and must do more to win them back.

Former energy and emissions reduction minister Angus Taylor is frontrunner for the opposition Treasury portfolio, with former trade minister and senior Victorian MP Dan Tehan expected to step up in foreign affairs or defence. Coalition Senate leader Simon Birmingham, Paul Fletcher and Stuart Robert are expected to retain senior roles on the opposition frontbench.

After the Nationals held all of its lower house seats and added an extra Senate spot, Mr Littleproud will demand greater shadow ministerial representation for the junior Coalition partner and push to reclaim the trade and investment portfolio.

With electricity and gas prices increasing and Anthony Albanese embarking on an ambitious ­climate change agenda, the energy and emissions reduction portfolio is considered a crucial appointment for Mr Dutton, alongside the opposition spokesperson for legal affairs, who will prosecute the ­Coalition’s position on a federal integrity commission.

The Australian understands former ministers Richard Colbeck, Alex Hawke and Linda Reynolds are under pressure to retain senior jobs, and former foreign affairs minister Marise Payne is thought to be considering retirement.

The loss of frontbenchers Josh Frydenberg, Ken Wyatt, Ben Morton, Zed Seselja, Tim Wilson, Amanda Stoker and Trevor Evans has also opened up spots on the frontbench.

Mr Hastie, Mr Tehan and Ms Andrews have been floated as contenders for defence, with Senator Paterson, a former Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security chair, considered an option as opposition home affairs spokesperson.

Mr Dutton on Tuesday said the Coalition would not give up on any seat across the country and must win back both conservative and moderate voters.

“There’s no seat that won’t be a target for us,” Mr Dutton said.

“Some early analysis earlier in the week showed about 200,000 Australians voted for teal candidates; at the other end of the spectrum, about 700,000 people left the Coalition to vote for parties on the right.”

Mr Dutton, who is expected to unveil his new line-up on Friday, said he was concerned about energy security and Labor’s spending promises.

“We need to have a situation where the lights turn on and that we have the security of that electricity supply, which I think is at risk under what Mr. Albanese is proposing at the moment,” the Opposition Leader said.

Additional reporting: Max Maddison