Parton shadow ministry: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 04:34, 5 December 2025

The Parton shadow ministry is the 20th and current shadow cabinet of the Australian Capital Territory, led by Mark Parton and his deputy Deborah Morris. It was formed following the 2025 Canberra Liberals leadership election, held on 10 November and shadows the Fourth Barr ministry.

The cabinet is composed of all Liberal MLAs except for Jeremy Hanson who is Speaker of the Assembly.

Following the Canberra Liberal’s seventh consecutive loss at the 2024 Australian Capital Territory election, then leader Elizabeth Lee was spilled and a leadership election was held in which Leanne Castley was elected leader and Jeremy Hanson deputy leader of the party.^[1]^[2]

On 19 June 2025, Peter Cain resigned from the Shadow Cabinet and moved to the backbench saying that he could no longer support the current leadership.^[3]^[4]^[5]

On 28 October 2025, backbenchers Peter Cain and Elizabeth Lee crossed the floor to vote with the crossbench in favour of a motion to keep the number of sitting weeks at 13 for 2026, rather than reducing it to 12 as was supported by both Labor and the Liberal party room. Following this, Castley unilaterally removed the two backbenchers from the Liberal party room despite precedent and a previously stated commitment to following this precedent that allows Liberal backbenchers to cross the floor.^[6]

On 10 November 2025 both Leanne Castley and deputy leader Jeremy Hanson announced they would resign from their leadership positions and not seek to recontest. A leadership election was held later that day and Mark Parton was elected leader unanimously. Deborah Morris was elected deputy, also unanimously.^[7]

On 2 December, Jeremy Hanson was elected to the vacant Speakership replacing Deputy Speaker Andrew Braddock who had been acting leader since Parton became Leader of the Opposition.^[8]^[9]

On 4 December, Parton announced the new composition of his shadow cabinet, returning Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain to the ministry and having no backbenchers.^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]

	Faction	Minister	Offices
Liberal	Moderate	Mark Parton (born 1966) MLA for Brindabella (since 2016)
	Conservative	Deborah Morris MLA for Brindabella (since 2024)	Deputy Leader of the Opposition Deputy Leader of the Canberra Liberals Shadow Minister for Planning Shadow Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Community Safety Shadow Minister for Home Ownership and Housing Affordability Shadow Minister for Corrections
		Ed Cocks (b. 1979) MLA for Murrumbidgee (since 2022)	Opposition Whip Shadow Treasurer Shadow Minister for Private Sector Employment and Industrial Relations Shadow Minister for Youth Affairs
		Peter Cain (b. 1954) MLA for Ginninderra (since 2020)	Shadow Minister for Community Services and Disability Shadow Minister for Government Services Shadow Minister for Veterans Shadow Minister for Seniors
		Chiaka Barry MLA for Ginninderra (since 2024)	Shadow Attorney-General Shadow Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs
	Moderate	Leanne Castley (b. 1974) MLA for Yerrabi (since 2020)	Shadow Minister for City Services Shadow Minister for Women Shadow Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence
	Moderate	Elizabeth Lee (b. 1979) MLA for Kurrajong (since 2016)	Shadow Minister for Education Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change Shadow Minister for Tourism and Events
		James Milligan (b. 1979) MLA for Kurrajong (since 2021)	Shadow Minister for Business Innovation and Economic Development Shadow Minister for Skills and Vocational Training Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation Shadow Minister for Arts and Creative Industries

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 On 10 November 2025 both Leanne Castley and deputy leader [[Jeremy Hanson]] announced they would resign from their leadership positions and not seek to recontest. [[2025 Canberra Liberals leadership election|A leadership election]] was held later that day and Mark Parton was elected leader unanimously. [[Deborah Morris (politician)|Deborah Morris]] was elected deputy, also unanimously.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Canberra Liberals: Australia’s most unsuccessful political party loses another leader |url=https://thenightly.com.au/politics/canberra-liberals-australias-most-unsuccessful-political-party-loses-another-leader–c-20630757 |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=[[The Nightly]] |publisher=[[Seven West Media]] |date=10 November 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251204175051/https://thenightly.com.au/politics/canberra-liberals-australias-most-unsuccessful-political-party-loses-another-leader–c-20630757 |archive-date=4 December 2025}}</ref>
 On 2 December, [[Jeremy Hanson]] was elected to the vacant Speakership replacing Deputy Speaker [[Andrew Braddock]] who had been acting leader since Parton became Leader of the Opposition.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fenwicke |first1=Claire |title=No other nominations secures Speaker’s chair for former Canberra Liberals deputy Jeremy Hanson |url=https://region.com.au/no-other-nominations-secures-speakers-chair-for-former-canberra-liberals-deputy-jeremy-hanson/926110/ |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=Region |date=2 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251204170130/https://region.com.au/no-other-nominations-secures-speakers-chair-for-former-canberra-liberals-deputy-jeremy-hanson/926110/ |archive-date=4 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindell |first1=Jasper |title=”A very different view”: Assembly elects Liberals’ Jeremy Hanson as new speaker |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9124533/jeremy-hanson-elected-speaker-of-the-act-legislative-assembly/ |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=[[Canberra Times]] |date=2 December 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>
 On 4 December, Parton announced the new composition of his shadow cabinet, returning Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain to the ministry and having no backbenchers.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Jade Toomey |author2=Emmy Groves |title=Canberra Liberals leader Mark Parton returns previously suspended MLAs to shadow cabinet in reshuffle |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-04/canberra-liberals-announce-new-shadow-cabinet/106099930 |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=4 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251204172824/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-04/canberra-liberals-announce-new-shadow-cabinet/106099930 |archive-date=4 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Parton reshuffles a reunified opposition |url=https://citynews.com.au/2025/parton-reshuffles-a-reunified-opposition/ |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=CBR City News |date=4 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Fenwicke |first1=Claire |title=Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain return from the backbench in latest Shadow Cabinet refresh |url=https://region.com.au/elizabeth-lee-and-peter-cain-return-from-the-backbench-in-latest-shadow-cabinet-refresh/927062/ |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=Region |date=4 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251204173900/https://region.com.au/elizabeth-lee-and-peter-cain-return-from-the-backbench-in-latest-shadow-cabinet-refresh/927062/ |archive-date=4 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindell |first1=Jasper |title=”A line in the sand”: Parton brings Libs back into the fold in shadow cabinet |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9126783/mark-parton-brings-elizabeth-lee-peter-cain-back-to-liberals-frontbench/ |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=[[Canberra Times]] |date=4 December 2025}}</ref>

Latest revision as of 04:34, 5 December 2025

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