Liberal leader’s unity call as allies rule front bench

Andrew Brown and Grace Crivellaro | February 17, 2026

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has rewarded his factional allies with plum front bench roles and punted moderates to the outer.

Mr Taylor unveiled his new-look shadow cabinet on Tuesday after toppling the Liberal Party’s first female leader Sussan Ley on Friday.

“Today marks a fresh beginning, an opportunity to put the past behind us and to remember that our historic strength comes through unity,” he said in Sydney.

Deputy leader Jane Hume, who was entitled to pick her portfolio, will become the employment and industrial relations spokeswoman.

Fellow moderate Tim Wilson was made shadow treasurer. 

Senator Claire Chandler will be the opposition finance spokeswoman. 

Mr Wilson said Australians needed “an economic agenda that’s very clearly focused on hard work paying off”.

“Hope is on the way … we are going to deliver that,” he said. 

It was widely expected Mr Taylor would return conservatives Andrew Hastie, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Senator Sarah Henderson to front bench positions.

Mr Hastie has been given the industry portfolio, while Senator Nampijinpa Price has taken over small business. 

Ms Ley had dumped Senator Nampijinpa Price from her front bench after she claimed the Albanese government prioritised Indian migration for votes, and her refusal to voice support for her leadership.

“Jacinta understands that she’s going to be out talking to small business people, no matter what their background,” Mr Taylor said. 

“She is an extraordinary Australian.”

Senator Henderson has returned to the front bench as shadow minister for communications and digital safety after Ms Ley axed her from the education portfolio in May.

Previous communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh has been promoted to shadow minister for women, families and social services.

Senator James Paterson has shifted from finance to defence, the portfolio held by Mr Taylor before he snared the top job, while Senator Jonathon Duniam has retained home affairs and immigration.

Senator Andrew Bragg has remained the housing and homelessness spokesman and picked up the environment portfolio.

Dan Tehan has retained the energy portfolio and become the manager of opposition business.

Ted O’Brien has been given the foreign affairs portfolio after previously serving as deputy Liberal leader under Ms Ley, while Tony Pasin has been promoted to shadow minister for scrutiny of government waste

The promotions came at the expense of Alex Hawke, Andrew Wallace, Scott Buchholz and Paul Scarr –  key backers of Ms Ley who lost their shadow ministries.

“Unfortunately, not everybody can have a frontbench role,” Mr Taylor said.

“We want a culture of healthy competition, the kind that lifts us all to deliver for Australians and to hold a bad government to account.”

The opposition’s front bench comprises 14 men and nine women. 

Mr Taylor has waived the Nationals’ suspension from the front bench – a condition agreed upon by Ms Ley when the coalition reunited in February.

“We’ve talked it through as a leadership team and come to the strong conclusion that it’s time to get on with it,” he said.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers sledged the opposition for appointing three shadow treasurers in nine months and took aim at Mr Wilson’s record. 

“At this rate, everyone will get a go,” Dr Chalmers said in a statement. 

“Tim Wilson strikes me as another typical Liberal. 

“This is the same guy who floated the privatisation of Medicare, argued against penalty rates, and called for the dismantling of compulsory super for workers.”