Parton shadow ministry
Parton Shadow Ministry | |
|---|---|
Shadow Cabinet of the Australian Capital Territory | |
Mark Parton | |
| Date formed | 4 December 2025 |
| People and organisations | |
| Opposition Leader | Mark Parton |
| Deputy Opposition Leader | Deborah Morris |
| Total no. of members | 8 |
| Member party | Canberra Liberals |
| Status in legislature | Opposition 8/25
|
| History | |
| Elections | 2024 (legislative) 2025 (leadership) |
| Legislature term | 11th |
| Predecessor | Castley shadow ministry |
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.
Background
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]
Composition
| Party | Faction | Member | Portrait | Offices | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Moderate | Mark Parton (born 1966) MLA for Brindabella |
| ||
| Conservative | Deborah Morris
MLA for Brindabella |
| |||
| Ed Cocks (b. 1979) MLA for Murrumbidgee |
| ||||
| Peter Cain (b. 1954) MLA for Ginninderra |
| ||||
| Chiaka Barry
MLA for Ginninderra |
| ||||
| Leanne Castley (b. 1974) |
| ||||
| Moderate | Elizabeth Lee (b. 1979) |
| |||
| James Milligan (b. 1979) |
| ||||
References
- ^ Lindell, Jasper (31 October 2025). "At 4pm, Elizabeth Lee's phone rang and everything began to unravel". Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ Jasper Lindell; Lucy Bladen (31 October 2024). "Last-minute deal set to have Lee replaced as Liberals leader". Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "Peter Cain resigns from Canberra Liberals shadow cabinet over concerns about leadership". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 June 2025. Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "ACT politics bulletin: Cain resigns from shadow cabinet". Canberra Daily. 19 June 2025. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ Lindell, Jasper (19 June 2025). "Liberal quits shadow cabinet, joining ousted leader on back bench". Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "Canberra Liberals suspend backbenchers Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain from party room". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 October 2025. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ Greene, Andrew (10 November 2025). "Canberra Liberals: Australia's most unsuccessful political party loses another leader". The Nightly. Seven West Media. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ Fenwicke, Claire (2 December 2025). "No other nominations secures Speaker's chair for former Canberra Liberals deputy Jeremy Hanson". Region. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ Lindell, Jasper (2 December 2025). "'A very different view': Assembly elects Liberals' Jeremy Hanson as new speaker". Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Jade Toomey; Emmy Groves (4 December 2025). "Canberra Liberals leader Mark Parton returns previously suspended MLAs to shadow cabinet in reshuffle". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "Parton reshuffles a reunified opposition". CBR City News. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ Fenwicke, Claire (4 December 2025). "Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain return from the backbench in latest Shadow Cabinet refresh". Region. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ Lindell, Jasper (4 December 2025). "'A line in the sand': Parton brings Libs back into the fold in shadow cabinet". Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 December 2025.