Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has been reappointed as shadow minister for transport, infrastructure and regional development following the Coalition’s reunion.
She says “its actions, not words, that are needed” during this time of uncertainty, and says she intends to hold the prime minister and government to account for “their failures”.
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“It is humbling to be reappointed to the Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development portfolio to continue my work of the past three years, pushing for improved policies to build the infrastructure Australian communities need, deliver safe, efficient and productive transport networks, and strengthen our regions,” Bridget says.
In a recent statement, the shadow minister outlined some of her focuses for the upcoming term, with freight and logistics supply chains, aviation, and job creating infrastructure at the top of her list.
“It is now a year since the release of the five yearly review of the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy but Labor has failed to act on the findings,” Bridget says.
“The Federal Treasurer talks a big game on productivity but its actions, not words, that are needed.
“At a time when Labor’s industrial relations and other policies are undermining national productivity and adding costs and red tape to businesses, boosting productivity means fixing the freight task so we can get products where they need to go quicker and more cost effectively.”
“Fixing the freight task means the safe and efficient movement of fresh food to supermarket shelves, medicines to hospitals, fuel to service stations and manufactured products to our ports for export.”
ATA chair Mark Parry welcomed Bridget back to the role, saying she had approached her first term as shadow minister, from 2022 to 2025, with energy, passion and enthusiasm.
“While she’s a politician that spends a lot of time in Canberra, I know that she understands the regions, lives in the regions and can connect very well with the trucking community,” he says.
Bridget holds a heavy rigid truck licence, which she gained in 2025 with the support of Transport Women Australia and Wodonga TAFE.
