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Keneally faces off against Dutton as Shorten gets Shadow Government Services

Former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally becomes Shadow Home Affairs minister in Albanese opposition.
Written by Chris Duckett, Contributor

Newly-minted Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese unveiled his first shadow ministry at the weekend, with Senator Kristina Keneally to be the shadow to Peter Dutton in the Home Affairs portfolio.

Home Affairs is responsible for overseeing Australia's encryption laws, with a guidance document on the laws recently released.

"Peter Dutton will know he's alive each and every day with Kristina Keneally as the shadow minister," Albanese told the ABC on Monday morning.

"She's an effective communicator, she's an important part of my team."

Among the changes made following Labor's election defeat last month, former leader Bill Shorten will become Shadow Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme as well as Shadow Minister for Government Services, which is responsible for the re-badged Department of Human Services that is now called Services Australia.

Services Australia has also taken on whole-of-government service delivery policy; whole-of-government information and communications technology; and information and communications technology procurement policy and services, which was a function held previously by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Within the Shadow Cabinet, Mark Dreyfus has continued as Shadow Attorney-General and Michelle Rowland remains as Shadow Minister for Communications.

In the outer ministry, the Shadow Regional Communications portfolio has been binned as Stephen Jones moves into being Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Financial Services, while Clare O'Neil is now the Shadow Minister for Innovation, Technology and the Future of Work.

"Clare O'Neil will perform with distinction, she has written books, done a lot of work about the future of work and where the Australian economy is going," Albanese said on Sunday.

"And making sure that innovation and technology works for people rather than the other way around."

Of Labor's assistant ministers, Tim Watts takes on the Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications mantle as well as Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security.

"Labor's May 18 election result was a wake-up call," Albanese added. "The first step to success next time is honest discussion with the Australian people."

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