After the defeat of the Howard Government in 2007 he was Shadow Minister for Families , Community Services and Indigenous Affairs . He resigned on the 26 November 2009 in protest against Liberal Party policy . After the defeat of the Howard government at the 2007 federal election , he was Shadow Minister for Families , Community Services and Indigenous Affairs until he resigned from Malcolm Turnbull 's shadow cabinet on 26 November 2009 in protest against Liberal Party support for an Emissions Trading Scheme ( ETS ) .