Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Andrew Brown Lucy Bladen

Elizabeth Lee takes on shadow treasurer role

New member of the ACT shadow cabinet James Milligan with Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong

ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee will take on a new role as shadow treasurer, as part of a shadow ministry reshuffle triggered by the resignation of her predecessor Alistair Coe.

It will mean Ms Lee will be going head-to-head with Chief Minister Andrew Barr across all of his portfolios, as she retained climate action, economic development and tourism.

"I think that it's important for the Canberra public to see the alternate Chief Minister and so it isn't an accident that I have taken on portfolios that will go head-to-head with Andrew Barr," she said.

Ms Lee, a former lawyer, will also stay on as shadow Attorney-General.

"One of the reasons I think it's important for me to retain the shadow Attorney-General portfolio is there is going to be a huge raft of law reform that is going to be on the agenda from the government," she said.

The reshuffle will also bring Mr Coe's replacement in the Legislative Assembly, James Milligan, into the shadow cabinet.

Mr Milligan will be the spokesman for sports and recreation, he previously served in the role before he was ousted at the 2020 election.

He will also take on positions as opposition spokesman for emergency services, vocation training and skills and disability.

Mr Milligan said bushfire preparedness would be a key issue for him.

"If we look at the 2020 bushfires that just went through, obviously one of the failures of this government was bushfire preparedness," he said

"We need to be a put a strong focus on that so we don't see a return of what we saw in 2020."

Mr Coe previously held the shadow treasurer role, alongside being the spokesman for planning and sustainable building and construction.

The former leader's two other portfolios have been split up among other members of the Canberra Liberals.

Peter Cain will take over as opposition spokesman for planning and land management, while Mark Parton will be the new spokesman for sustainable building and construction.

Mr Cain will also pick up a newly created role in the shadow cabinet and become shadow assistant treasurer.

Ms Lee said she made the position due to Mr Cain's experience, he has previously worked in the revenue office.

The new roles in the shadow cabinet for Mr Milligan has meant other party members have lost part of their shadow cabinet portfolios.

Jeremy Hanson has lost his role as opposition emergency services spokesman but will still retain police.

Elizabeth Kikkert will no longer take on disability in the shadow cabinet, while Mark Parton in gaining his new shadow cabinet position lost his former one for sport and recreation.

Ms Lee said the new-look cabinet would focus "very, very hard" on holding the government to account.

"I think that moving forward we'll be able to put our best foot forward for an alternate government in 2024," she said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.