Townsville MP gets big promotion into ministerial role
A Federal politician, whose electorate includes Ayr, Alligator Creek, and Oonoonba, has picked up his first ministerial portfolio in the LNP shake down.
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Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox, whose electorate includes Ayr, Alligator Creek, and Oonoonba, has picked up two ministerial portfolios in the LNP shake up.
Counting in the Dawson electorate stretched on for several weeks, and it was only on June 3 the Australia Electoral Commission declared LNP candidate Mr Willcox had retained his seat.
Mr Willcox said he intended to use his time on the tiny opposition bench to hold Labor - and their promises - to account.
Mr Willcox has been a Federal LNP politician since 2022, but hadn’t held any ministerial portfolios in that time.
That changed last week, when the party gave the Bowen-born politician the portfolio of “assistant minister for manufacturing and sovereign capability”.
Mr Willcox inherits this portfolio from his electorate neighbour, Rockhampton-based MP Michelle Landry.
Both Mr Willcox and Ms Landry sit with the Nationals in federal parliament.
READ MORE: Federal MP’s fears for worsening Bruce Highway conditions
The portfolio is closely linked to Townsville-based Senator Susan McDonald’s role as shadow minister for resources and northern Australia, and Sydney-based Alex Hawke’s role as shadow minister for industry and innovation.
North Queensland-based Federal MP’s and their new roles
Leichhardt (Cairns) Matt Smith - no portfolios, first term
Kennedy (Mount Isa) Bob Katter - no portfolios, Independent
Herbert (Townsville) Phil Thompson - shadow assistant minister for defence, shadow assistant minister for NDIS
Dawson (Mackay) Andrew Willcox - shadow assistant minister for manufacturing and sovereign capability
Capricornia (Rockhampton) Michelle Landry - National Party’s chief whip
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Originally published as Townsville MP gets big promotion into ministerial role
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