Luke Howarth, a conservative, has been promoted to shadow assistant treasurer and minister for financial services in a Coalition reshuffle that also promotes Melissa McIntosh into the shadow ministry.
The Coalition has signalled it will target Labor over home ownership, creating a new shadow assistant ministry for Andrew Bragg a moderate senator, and energy affordability, a portfolio to be taken by McIntosh, a member of the centre right.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, announced the changes on Tuesday after an underwhelming performance in the Dunkley byelection and internal calls for the Coalition to announce more policy in the lead-up to the next election, due by May 2025.
There was a 3.6% two-party preferred swing away from Labor in the outer suburban Melbourne electorate – well short of the 6.3% the Liberal party needed to win.
The former shadow assistant treasurer, Stuart Robert, resigned in May, but the Coalition kept the position vacant until now.
Howarth, formerly the shadow minister for defence industry and personnel, was appointed to take on Robert’s role. Howarth’s old portfolios will go to Andrew Hastie, the shadow defence minister, with Phillip Thompson as shadow assistant minister.
In addition to energy affordability, McIntosh becomes shadow minister for western Sydney. McIntosh said “amidst the cost of living crisis, energy costs have continued to put immense pressure on everyday Australians, manufacturers and small business”.
Dutton said McIntosh would work with Ted O’Brien “formulating policies that take the economic pressure of rising electricity prices off families”.
As the Coalition prepares to announce an energy policy including lifting the ban on nuclear energy and nominating potential sites for power stations, it has struggled to explain how it will overcome the enormous cost, long lead-in time and lack of private investment to make them a reality.
Dutton said that Howarth, a Queensland LNP conservative ally, “understands that small business is the backbone of the Australian economy”.
“He has previously run a family business before entering parliament and has a strong understanding of the financial pressures many Australians are currently experiencing under the government’s cost of living crisis.
“Luke will bring his strong command of retail economics to this important role.”
Senator James Paterson, who was appointed to home affairs in April 2023, will now also become shadow cabinet secretary, after the resignation of Marise Payne.
While the reshuffle largely benefits conservatives, Dutton has also promoted moderates including Bragg and Sturt MP James Stevens, who becomes the shadow assistant minister for government waste reduction.
Dutton said that Bragg would bring an “astute policy mind and advocacy” to a “critical portfolio area”. The Coalition has flagged expanding its policy of letting first home buyers access superannuation for a deposit along with other measures to boost home ownership.
Bragg said he was “very pleased” to join the shadow ministry. “Too many Australians feel the great Australian dream is out of reach and they will never own a home,” he said in a statement. “It is unacceptable.”
Senator Paul Scarr will become shadow assistant minister for multicultural engagement.
Senator Hollie Hughes will become the shadow assistant minister for mental health and suicide prevention, and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Dutton said “these appointments are excellent additions to the Coalition’s stable and united team”.
“I can assure all Australians that the Coalition under my leadership will continue focusing on the policy issues that matter.”
The reshuffle is the Coalition’s first since April 2023, when Karen Andrews stepped down from shadow home affairs and Julian Leeser resigned as shadow Indigenous affairs minister.
While Howarth and McIntosh were promoted, neither moves into the shadow cabinet, meaning the balance between Liberals and Nationals is preserved.
There were no fresh appointments or demotions for the Nationals, despite some internal pressure on the shadow veterans affairs minister, Barnaby Joyce, over an incident involving him lying on a Canberra footpath and swearing into his phone as a result of combining alcohol and prescription drugs.
The Nationals have arguably been over-represented in cabinet since the promotion of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price in April 2023, prompting suggestions that eventually the Nationals will be required to lose a spot.
