MAVERICK Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce will be elevated to the opposition front bench early this week, federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says.
The new Liberal leader is expected to announce his line-up in the next day or two after winning the leadership from Malcolm Turnbull last Tuesday.
Former assistant treasurer Helen Coonan, most recently the coalition finance spokeswoman, announced on Sunday she would not be seeking a place in the shadow ministry.
Senator Coonan said it was time to make way for new talent.
"The leader of the opposition should have a free hand to choose those in the line-up to take to the next election who will be available to serve in the longer term," she said in a statement.
Steve Ciobo, a key Turnbull supporter, echoed the need to make a break with the past.
One of the new frontbench faces, Barnaby Joyce, is seen as a Nationals leader of the future.
But Kevin Andrews, another certainty for frontbench inclusion, is a former Howard government minister who has been on the backbench since the last election.
Mr Abbott confirmed on Sunday Senator Joyce, who has previously refused a shadow ministry job, would be part of his frontbench.
"He has said that he's keen to come on, and while he may not necessarily be looking forward to the discipline of shadow cabinet, he said that he's happy to accept it," Mr Abbott told the Nine Network.
Mr Andrews confirmed he'd been in discussions with Mr Abbott.
"I've talked to Tony - I talk to Tony quite regularly - and I expect that I'll be back on the frontbench," he told AAP.
The potential portfolio was a matter for the leader.
"My interest is in ensuring that we marry together our principles with a sense of what the Australian people want," Mr Andrews said.
There's been talk Mr Andrews could take on the immigration portfolio, currently held by Sharman Stone.
Even before the change in leadership there had been speculation Dr Stone might be moved because of a perceived inability to take the fight up to the government on an issue that's shaping up to be key at the next election.
Joe Hockey's job as treasury spokesman is the only one set in stone.
However, the departure of Senator Coonan increases the odds Senator Joyce will get the finance portfolio.
Mr Abbott has promised there won't be any recriminations following the Liberal bloodletting of recent months, and he says the changes won't be extensive.
Mr Ciobo said he was keen to be part of the Abbott frontbench.
"Tony will look at putting together the key network of people he believes can best be advocates for the Liberal Party position going forward," he said.
"Of course I would like to play a role in that."
Mr Abbott's authority to choose who he wants has been enhanced after the Liberals comfortably retained the seats of Bradfield and Higgins in by-elections on Saturday, defying expectations of a backlash against Mr Abbott.
Aside from Senator Coonan, Mr Abbott will have to replace Mr Turnbull, who has moved to the backbench, as well as retiring MPs Margaret May and Chris Pearce.
It's not certain what Mr Abbott will do with a vacancy created by Andrew Robb's temporary move to the backbench to deal with illness.
Mr Abbott is expected to go with both old and new blood to fill his frontbench vacancies.
Bronwyn Bishop is another old hand being tipped for a rebirth.
There has been talk Paul Fletcher, the former Optus executive who won the Bradfield seat on Saturday, may go straight to the frontbench, given his experience in communications.
However, Mr Fletcher told AAP he expected to begin his parliamentary career on the backbench.
