Labor's first shadow ministry in six years will blood a new generation of federal leaders while keeping experienced hands in key battleground portfolios.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was keen to emphasise the energy and youth of his team (29 out of 30 are aged under 60) when he unveiled the line-up in Canberra on Friday.
Shorten's decision to take small business into his own portfolio is aimed at helping Labor win back support from the expanding entrepreneurial sector that swung behind Tony Abbott in the election.
Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek's decision to take on foreign affairs and trade pits her against Liberal deputy Julie Bishop, and will allow Labor to highlight concerns with the coalition's proposed cuts to overseas aid.
Stephen Conroy's shift from communications under Gillard to defence under Shorten will allow him to directly face off across the Senate chamber with Defence Minister David Johnston.
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There are shadow parliamentary secretary appointments for former Rudd staffer Jim Chalmers, Andrew Leigh, Ed Husic, Matt Thistlethwaite, Michelle Rowland, Lisa Singh and Stephen Jones that should pave their way into ministry spots in coming years.
Carbon pricing, asylum seekers and changes to the national broadband network are expected to be key areas of the political debates over the next year.
So it was prudent of Shorten to put former ministers Mark Butler (climate), Richard Marles (immigration) and Jason Clare (communications) in these posts.
Leadership runner-up Anthony Albanese kept his transport and infrastructure portfolio and adds tourism, which will allow the popular former minister to get around the country and win back support.
What Shorten can't easily explain is why South Australian senator Don Farrell, who lost his spot at the election and will step down on June 30 next year, has been given two portfolios - one of which includes the Centenary of Anzac in 2015.
Farrell, who also has veterans' affairs, was one of Labor's so-called faceless men behind the 2010 coup against Kevin Rudd and a key figure in the Right faction, so the expectation is he'll replace a future retiring Labor senator.
The decision marred an otherwise sound line-up which should give Labor a solid start in the new parliament.
