Bill Shorten announces shadow ministry portfolios, Tanya Plibersek handed foreign affairs

Updated

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has carved out his frontbench, naming his deputy Tanya Plibersek in the foreign affairs portfolio.

Caucus elected the shadow ministry team on Monday but Mr Shorten, as leader, has decided on the division of portfolios.

"I believe this shadow executive is a break from the past," Mr Shorten said.

"More women than ever before. Younger than ever before. I think there's a lot of interest and a lot of dynamism in this team."

Former health minister Ms Plibersek is understood to have lobbied to take on the foreign affairs portfolio.

Former foreign affairs Minister Bob Carr did not ask for a frontbench position and is expected to quit parliament soon.

Former communications minister Stephen Conroy has been named as the Opposition's new spokesman for defence.

Mr Shorten says it was important for a senior politician to take on the role and hold Minister for Defence David Johnston to account in the Senate.

Shadow ministry analysis "Foreign affairs is usually a lower priority in Opposition and it's gone to the deputy Labor leader, Tanya Plibersek.



Now that means she's not able to use her relative high profile as deputy in a domestic portfolio like health, although Ms Plibersek has already said she's keen to take on this international portfolio and it's certainly one she sought.



Whether it's damaged Labor's chances to use one of its strengths in a domestic portfolio, is an interesting question.



Also there's a strong performer Penny Wong with an international focus because she's been given the shadow trade and investment portfolio. An interesting choice."



Political correspondent Louise Yaxley



Former trade minister Richard Marles will take on the vexed immigration portfolio, while Jason Clare moves into the communications role.

Bowen keeps treasury portfolio

Labor's economic team has also been unveiled.

Chris Bowen will stay on as the treasury spokesman, and will be assisted by ACT MP Andrew Leigh, who has been elevated from the backbench.

Labor's chief strategist, leader of opposition business Tony Burke, has been named to replace Penny Wong in the finance portfolio.

Senator Wong has moved into trade and investment.

After challenging Bill Shorten for the Opposition Leader's role Anthony Albanese has been given a senior position, retaining his infrastructure portfolio and adding tourism.

Shorten touts virtue of 'Generation X' team

Mr Shorten has described his team as "energetic and diverse".

"There will be more working parents than ever before," he said. "In fact in our leadership group all of us have a child six or under."

He also played on differences between Labor's frontbench and the Coalition team.

Shadow ministry: ALP full list The big movers Tanya Plibersek: from health to foreign affairs

Stephen Conroy: from communications to defence

Richard Marles: from trade to immigration

Catherine King: from regional affairs to health

Kate Ellis: from early childhood and employment to education

Penny Wong: from finance to investment and trade

Tony Burke: from immigration to finance

Jason Clare: from justice and home affairs to communications

Shayne Neumann: former parliamentary secretary now takes indigenous affairs

Doug Cameron: former parliamentary secretary takes on human services

Michelle Rowland: from backbench to assistant communications spokeswoman

Claire Moore: from backbench to opposition spokeswoman on women

Andrew Leigh: from backbench to assistant treasury spokesman

Jim Chalmers: elected this year and assisting with trade and investment Staying where they are Chris Bowen: shadow treasurer

Joel Fitzgibbon: agriculture

Mark Dreyfus: shadow attorney general

Gary Gray: resources

Brendan O'Connor: employment

Anthony Albanese: infrastructure and transport

Jenny Macklin: families and disability reform

Mark Butler: environment and climate change

"There's generational change. There's more Gen X in this shadow line-up than has existed before in Australian politics."

Generation X refers to people born between the mid 1960s and mid 1980s.

Some of the biggest movers include Shayne Neumann who takes over Indigenous Affairs and Doug Cameron who is now in charge of housing and homelessness.

Michelle Rowland and Claire Moore have both been elevated from the backbench to take on portfolio responsibilities.

A number of MP's and senators who were in senior roles after the last reshuffle of the former Rudd government will retain their positions.

Joel Fitzgibbon will keep agriculture, Mark Butler will remain in the environment role, Mark Dreyfus is shadow attorney-general, and Gary Gray retains the resources portfolio.

Mr Shorten made an election promise to bring the science portfolio into his responsibilities, and has appointed Kim Carr to assist him in that capacity.

The left and right factions in Caucus played a significant role in selecting the contenders put forward for frontbench positions.

Some of those dumped from the frontbench in the process, Warren Snowdon and Jacinta Collins, have been named as shadow parliamentary secretaries.

Senator Collins has released a statement saying she will "fight to protect the important reforms Labor put in place".

Another former minister, Kate Lundy, has missed out altogether and will remain on the backbench.

Topics: alp, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia

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