“It’s tough times for many Australians out there. We got a tough message from them at the last election, and we need to approach communities that we seek to represent with humility.”

Why are there fewer women in the shadow ministry?

Jane Hume, former finance spokesperson, is one of the women who lost their role in the new Coalition cabinet.

“This is about putting the best team on the field and respecting Jane’s talents … The communication skills of so many of my team mean that they will feature prominently across the debate and carry that argument and that advocacy forward.”

‘Last week was a messy week’

Asked if Nationals leader David Littleproud had “misled the party room”, McCormack said: “We weren’t told everything that went on between Sussan Ley and David [Littleproud], … That was, I suppose, a thing that David chose to do,” he said.

“I’m not going to draw a line through my name because that would be silly, but it’s up to the party room … If it comes to pass that the party decides that I’m the one to lead them again in the future, so be it.”