WA MP Melissa Price replacing shadow portfolio left vacant following Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s sacking

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has appointed key West Australian ally Melissa Price to replace the shadow portfolio left vacant following Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s dismissal last week. Ms Ley on Sunday said she had reshuffled her frontbench following the sacking of Senator Nampijinpa Price over her remarks about the Indian community. WA Durack MP Melissa Price — who held the role of defence industry minister under Scott Morrison — will take up the shadow defence industry personnel portfolio, Ms Ley confirmed on Sunday. Ms Ley said that “as a former minister in the portfolio, she brings crucial experience to these responsibilities”. Liberal Senator Claire Chandler will join the shadow cabinet taking over the WA MP’s previous role as shadow minister for cyber security and science. The reshuffle also promoted Cook MP Simon Kennedy, who will join the outer shadow ministry as the shadow assistant spokesman for artificial intelligence, digital economy and the scrutiny of government waste. Senator Richard Colbeck will take Senator Chandler’s role as Senate co-char of the Liberal Legislative Committee. Prominent frontbencher James Paterson was also promoted to the Coalition’s formal leadership group. The Victorian senator, who strongly backed Senator Price’s defection to the Liberal Party room, will join the Opposition Leader and Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Treasurer Ted O’Brien in the senior Liberal leadership. Senator Paterson, who is the Coalition’s finance spokesman, joins the senior leadership as Ms Ley is set to give a major economic address to CEDA on Wednesday, in what will be a party reset following the in-party fighting spurred on by Senator Price’s comments. with NewsWire