Senator Sarah Henderson has expressed her disappointment over high-performing women losing their Coalition positions. Photo: Instagram.
Banishing high-performing Liberal Party women and former National Party leaders to the Coalition’s backbench is causing headaches for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud.
The fallout from the makeup of the newly reunited Coalition’s front bench has been immediate and pointed, with several individuals who were dropped from the shadow ministry publicly expressing disappointment.
Even some returned shadow ministers are voicing their concerns at the loss of talent on the Opposition’s new front bench.
Proven performers Sarah Henderson and Jane Hume were dumped from the shadow ministry by Ms Ley on Wednesday (29 May).
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has been moved out of the shadow cabinet into the outer shadow ministry.
Senator Henderson, the shadow education minister until Wednesday (28 May), subsequently voiced her frustration.
“I regret that a number of high-performing Liberal women have been overlooked or demoted in the new ministry,” she said.
“Today I am more determined than ever to fight for Australian women, which must start with a comprehensive policy platform.”
Senator Price, who left the Nationals to join the Liberals immediately after the federal election, told Sky News she was also disappointed with her treatment.
“There are probably some appointments that have not been predicated on experience or merit, but this is the team we have to work with going forward,” she said.
“I’m not going to lie and say I’m not disappointed that I’m not within Cabinet itself.
“But I did say when I decided to move to the Liberal Party room that as part of the Coalition we needed to build and that I would be taking whatever position I am in very seriously.”
Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie, who kept her place on the Coalition’s front bench, said she was shocked to learn Senator Hume had been dumped.
“I didn’t expect her not to be in the shadow ministry at all,” Senator McKenzie told the ABC.
“I’m being incredibly honest. I, like you, was watching the live feed. Other than a couple of positions in our own party, I wasn’t aware of the full list.
“This is Sussan Ley saying, ‘this is the type of leader of the Liberal Party I’m going to be. This is my team I’m taking forward’.
“They’re decisions for her, and really, she needs to answer the whys.”
Senator McKenzie stressed Senator Hume should not be penalised over her push for an end to work-from-home for public servants.
“Jane Hume was not the reason we lost the last election,” she said.
Dismay has also been expressed over Senator Jane Hume being dumped from the Opposition’s front bench. Image: Screenshot.
James Paterson, who moved from the Home Affairs portfolio to replace Senator Hume in Finance, said he felt a bit “awkward” about the situation and was disappointed over the number of women demoted.
“My observation is political careers are not linear any more,” Senator Paterson said.
“There are often sidesteps on the journey, and I’m very confident Jane [Hume] will be back in a senior role in due course.”
Ms Ley wouldn’t buy into the idea that Senator Hume’s policies were the reason she lost her front bench position.
“People can reflect on a range of things. This is not about that,” Ms Ley said.
“This is about putting the best team on the field and respecting Jane’s talents – everyone’s talents.
“The communication skills of so many of my team mean they will feature prominently across the debate and carry that argument and that advocacy forward.”
Ms Ley said 40 per cent of her shadow ministry were women.
“Of course I want to see more women in my party room every single day,” she told Channel Nine.
“As a woman leader, that sends a signal to women. But I will be there at the table for all the big calls.”
Meanwhile, Mr Littleproud is batting off criticism over his banishment of two former National Party leaders to the backbench.
Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack, also former deputy prime ministers, lost their shadow ministries on Wednesday.
Both expressed disappointment over the Nats’ split from the Coalition a week earlier and played roles in reuniting the two parties.
Mr Joyce has now questioned if that was the reason they were dumped.
He said it seemed to be more about personalities than “generational change” as claimed by Mr Littleproud.
“There are people who are older than me now. I’m 58, I’m not 103,” he said.
“So it’s not generational change. It’s politics and personalities.”
Mr McCormack has not ruled out a future challenge for the National Party leadership.
Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Region Canberra.
