Kevin Andrews, the Opposition's family and housing spokesman. Picture: Stuart Mcevoy Source: The Australian
TONY Abbott's campaign to win this year's election is being undermined by a group of near-invisible shadow ministers who have failed to register with voters.
A News Limited survey of 100 voters in South Australia, Victoria, NSW and Queensland reveals the Opposition's defence spokesman David Johnston is the ultimate faceless man.
Not one person was able to identify the man who may be responsible for the nation's armed forces by year's end.
And the West Australian Liberal Senator plans to keep it that way. "I don't do Facebook and I don't do Twitter," he said.
Just five out of the 100 people surveyed could identify former Howard Government minister Kevin Andrews, a 21-year political veteran responsible for holding Labor to account in the family and housing portfolios.
The Opposition's health spokesman Peter Dutton.
Peter Dutton, in line to take responsibility for the $60 billion-a-year health budget if the Coalition wins, fared marginally better, with six people able to identify the Queensland MP.
The survey, conducted on the streets of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane, will reinforce concerns among Liberal strategists that many of Mr Abbott's frontbench are near invisible.
Grahame Morris, former chief of staff to Prime Minister John Howard, described the Coalition frontbench as the "silent majority".
He warned the Coalition's push to win office was that much harder if Mr Abbott's shadow ministers failed to perform.
West Australian senator David Johnston, the Opposition's defence spokesman. Picture: Ernie Mclintock
"Every shadow minister has an opportunity to make a name in their own portfolio," Mr Morris said.
"If they are not doing their media work, if they are not nailing the Government to the wall, it means the leader has to work much harder and has to carry those who are Captain Invisibles," he said.
On the streets of our cities, the three shadow ministers, who have a combined 43 years' experience in Canberra, are virtually unknown.
In Adelaide, none of the 25 people surveyed could name any of the three.
Changes to the pay agreement for shadow ministers make it unlikely that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will reshuffle his cabinet before a general election. Picture: Kym Smith
Andrew Smith, of West Lakes, said it meant politicians had more work to do.
"They're clearly not promoting themselves well enough if people don't know who they are," he said.
Patti Roebuck, 61, from Kangaroo Point, could not name one of the three. "I do believe I should know and I should also know what they do," she said.
Harry Singh, a shopkeeper on Sydney's bustling George Street, also failed to identify any of the three: "I haven't heard of those people. I haven't seen them."
Mr Andrews, who was a minister in the Howard Government from 2001 to 2007, was recognised by several voters, although only a handful knew his name.
He was better recognised in Sydney, by three people, than in his home city of Melbourne, where just two could identify him.
Mr Dutton fared best in his home city of Brisbane, where four of the 25 people surveyed recognised him.
Sydney construction worker David Hughenden reckoned Mr Abbott was likely to win the election, and said "it's a bit of a worry when we don't know who is backing him up".
But he added: "I probably couldn't tell you (Julia) Gillard's cabinet either mind you."
- with Adam Hegarty, Kat Stokes
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