Castley shadow ministry
Castley Shadow Ministry | |
|---|---|
 Shadow Cabinet of the Australian Capital Territory | |
 | |
| Date formed | 18 November 2024 |
| Date dissolved | 4 December 2025 |
| People and organisations | |
| Leanne Castley | |
Deputy Opposition Leader | Jeremy Hanson |
Total no. of members | 7 (until June 2025) 6 (from June 2025) |
Member party | Canberra Liberals |
Status in legislature | Opposition 9/25 (until October 2025)
|
| History | |
| Elections | 2024 (legislative) 2024 (leadership) |
| Legislature term | 11th Assembly |
| Predecessor | Lee shadow ministry |
| Successor | Parton shadow ministry |
The Castley shadow ministry was the 19th shadow ministry of the Australian Capital Territory, led by Leanne Castley and her deputy Jeremy Hanson. It was formed following the 2024 Canberra Liberals leadership election, held 31 October 2024, and was composed of most of the party's MLAs.
History
Establishment
Following the Canberra Liberals' seventh consecutive loss at the 2024 Australian Capital Territory election, held 19 October, Elizabeth Lee was spilled. A leadership election was held on 31 October and was contested by Lee and her deputy Leanne Castley. Castley defeated Lee by a single vote and former leader Jeremy Hanson defeated then Speaker Mark Parton for the deputy leadership by the same margin.[1]
Castley announced her new shadow ministry on 18 November 2024. It included seven of the Liberals' nine MLAs, excluding Speaker Mark Parton and relegating former leader Elizabeth Lee to the backbench.[2]
Reshuffles
A cabinet reshuffle was unveiled on 24 February 2025. Peter Cain's portfolios of Planning and Environment and Housing Services were merged to become Planning and Housing Service with Environment being taken on by Castley as Agriculture and the Environment. Castley also took on the new portfolio of Seniors.
On 19 June 2025, Peter Cain resigned from the shadow ministry and moved to the backbench saying he could no longer support the leadership of the party and citing a duty of care towards his staffers.[3]
A cabinet reshuffle was unveiled on 30 June 2025. Peter Cain's former portfolios of Attorney-General taken on by Jeremy Hanson and the portfolio of Planning and Housing Service was split with planning merged with Castley's Transport portfolio to become Planning and Transport and housing becoming Public Housing and Homelessness for Chiaka Barry.[4]
Demise
On 28 October 2025 backbenchers Cain and Lee were suspended from the Liberal partyroom by Castley after crossing the floor to vote against a motion to reduce the number of sitting weeks from thirteen to twelve in the upcoming 2026 sitting year. This move was in violation of a longstanding precedent that Liberal backbenchers had the right to cross the floor and culminated in Castley and Hanson resigning from their leadership positions and being replaced by Mark Parton and Deborah Morris in a leadership election held on 10 November 2025.[5]
Composition
| Party | Portrait | Member | Faction | Portfolios | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | |
Leanne Castley (b. 1974) |
| ||
 |
Jeremy Hanson (born 1967) MLA for Brindabella |
Conservative |
| ||
| Ed Cocks (b. 1979) MLA for Murrumbidgee |
| ||||
 |
Peter Cain (b. 1954) MLA for Ginninderra |
| |||
|
Deborah Morris
MLA for Brindabella |
Conservative |
| ||
|
Chiaka Barry
MLA for Ginninderra |
| |||
 |
James Milligan (b. 1979) |
| |||
References
- ↑ Petrovik, Victor (31 October 2024). "Leanne Castley elected leader of the Canberra Liberals following party's ACT election loss". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Lottie Twyford; Monte Bovill (18 November 2024). "Canberra Liberals unveil shadow cabinet with a focus on 'common sense'". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ "Peter Cain resigns from Canberra Liberals shadow cabinet over concerns about leadership". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Lindell, Jasper (30 June 2025). "Castley takes on key portfolio in shadow cabinet reshuffle". Canberra Times. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Jervis-Bardy, Dan (10 November 2025). "Former radio host Mark Parton elected ACT Liberal leader after Leanne Castley and deputy quit". The Guardian Australia. Retrieved 26 June 2026.