New Shadow Cabinet: Ruston retains aged care

New Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has unveiled his shadow ministry, after former leader Sussan Ley was ousted in a party room spill last week, following disastrous polling, toxic infighting and two Coalition splits.

Mr Taylor emphasised that his shadow cabinet was a “strong reset” and a return to a unified Coalition focus on key policy areas affecting Australians.

“This is a team that blends proven experience with the next generation of Coalition talent,” he said.

Ley supporter Senator Anne Ruston has been reappointment to the shadow health and aged care portfolios.

“Ensuring our health and aged care systems deliver timely, affordable and quality support with real choice remains a key priority,” Senator Ruston said in a media statement.

“It is a privilege to continue serving in the Shadow Health and Aged Care portfolios to keep working on issues that matter deeply to Australians and their families.

“It has never been harder or more expensive to access essential health and aged care support.”

The Shadow Minister pointed to several pressing challenges across the health and aged care sectors, particularly the ongoing issues associated with ‘bed block’, where hospital patients ready for discharge cannot leave due to a lack of available aged care places.

“The wait list for a home care package continues to blow out, with more than 131,000 older Australians currently left waiting for support for an average of nine months,” she said.

Access to general practitioners is another area of focus for the Opposition.

“GP out-of-pocket costs have also never been higher, with Australians now paying more than $50 on average when they visit a doctor,” Senator Ruston said.

Senator Ruston will be supported by Senator Kerrynne Liddle as Shadow Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Henry Pike MP as Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health, and Sam Birrell MP as Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health.

The broader reshuffle saw the reinstatement of three Nationals MPs – Bridget McKenzie, Ross Cadell, and Susan McDonald – to their frontbench roles, following a temporary suspension. Mr Taylor said the move was about getting “back to the unified Coalition [that] we know has been such a strength for our side of politics and such a strength for this nation.”

NT Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Canning MP Andrew Hastie take on the small business and industry portfolios respectively. Mr Hastie will also serve as Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives.

Deputy Liberal leader Jane Hume has the deregulation/productivity portfolio, and Victorian senator Sarah Henderson has communications, after both were dumped from the finance and education portfolios respectively during a reshuffle in May last year after Ms Ley took over from ousted leader Peter Dutton.

Other key additions to Mr Taylor’s frontbench include: Goldstein MP Tim Wilson as shadow treasurer and Tasmanian senator Claire Chandler as finance spokesperson.

Victorian senator James Paterson has shifted to defence, as Wannon MP Dan Tehan retains the emissions reduction portfolio and becomes Manager of Opposition Business in the House.

Home affairs has been merged with immigration, and will be retained by Tasmanian senator Jonno Duniam, replacing Ley backer Paul Scarr from the latter portfolio.

West Australian senator Michaelia Cash will retain Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and take on the legal affairs portfolio.

Former opposition whip Aaron Violi will hold a digital economies, science and innovation portfolio, while Barker MP Tony Pasin will head a government waste portfolio.

After the spill, Sussan Ley announced she would resign from politics.