The Shadow Cabinet of Australia (also known as the Opposition Front Bench) is a group of senior Opposition spokespeople who form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members "shadow" or "mark" each individual member of the government. Malcolm Turnbull defeated Brendan Nelson in the Liberal Party's 2008 leadership election 45 votes to 41, making Turnbull Opposition Leader. Turnbull announced his Shadow Cabinet on 22 September 2008. It was reshuffled on 16 February when Julie Bishop stepped down from the role of Shadow Treasury. The Shadow Cabinet of Malcolm Turnbull was replaced by the Shadow Cabinet of Tony Abbott in December 2009 following the 2009 leadership election.
Members of the Shadow Cabinet (2008–2009)
1 Tony Abbott, Nick Minchin and Eric Abetz quit the Coalition front bench on 26 November 2009.