Brad Battin promotes Jess Wilson, dumps James Newbury from treasury
The party had just completed its main economic and financial plan, which is expected to be approved by the shadow cabinet and will set out the party’s budget and economic targets for next year’s elections.
Instead, that task will fall to Wilson, a former Business Council of Australia executive and adviser to former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
James Newbury was removed from his valuable treasury portfolio to make room for Jess Wilson.Credit: Wayne Taylor
Wilson’s elevation to the second-most senior position in the opposition was welcomed by his supporters within the party. “Every serious commentator, as well as business and industry, has noticed the lack of economic focus and narrative,” one of them said. “If anyone can tear this apart, it’s Jess Wilson.”
However, the broader change was widely seen by party figures who spoke outspokenly about internal issues anonymously as creating more problems than it solved.
A senior member of the Liberal party room noted Battin’s inherent risk. “He must be very careful when demoting his friends and highlighting his enemies.
“The problem with making big changes is that you make people angry.”
A Pesutto supporter has expressed disappointment at Battin’s decision to leave one of his most experienced and talented MPs on the bench.
“He’s not trying to unite the party. If he was trying to unite the party, he would have included John.”
Britnell confirmed Friday that she learned of her demotion.
“It’s not what I would have chosen and I’m very disappointed, but Brad has the right as leader of the party to choose who he wants in the shadow cabinet,” he said.
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Newbury may be offered the role of manager of opposition affairs to soften the blow of the loss of the treasury; Matthew Guy, meanwhile, will add to his existing transport portfolio, which includes responsibility for major projects currently held by Evan Mulholland, one of the party’s hardest-working MPs and the only moderate member of the leadership team.
Mulholland will be promoted to Education spokesperson.
The change will make Guy, a former party leader, the opposition spokesman for the Suburban Rail Loop. Although the Liberal Party ostensibly opposed construction of the first phase of the SRL, Guy acknowledged in August that the project would be too advanced to be completed by next November.
Battin spent Friday afternoon briefing Liberal MPs on the changes and is expected to confirm his new front team and portfolio responsibilities at a news conference on Saturday morning.
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