The Coalition has appointed senator Mathias Cormann as shadow assistant treasurer and shadow minister for financial services and superannuation.

Cormann joined the Liberal Party in Western Australia in 1996. Since then he has been appointed shadow parliamentary secretary for health administration and shadow minister for employment participation, apprenticeships and training.

He was involved in a range of senate inquiries in 2008, including those into Labor's Workplace Relations Bill 2008, the Wheat Export Marketing Bill 2008, the Tax Laws Amendment Bill 2008 and the Excise Legislation Amendment Bill 2008.

He has also worked for West Australian health insurer HBF. For a short time, he worked as a gardener at Presbyterian Ladies College in Perth after he had migrated from Belgium.

"The new shadow ministry is a team with deep connections to the community, ensuring that we will continue to put forward practical policies that help Australian families get ahead," opposition leader Tony Abbott said.

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) looks forward to meeting senator Cormann to discuss ASFA's stated policy objectives around adequacy and industry efficiency, ASFA chief executive Pauline Vamos said.

"The Coalition has an opportunity to use this parliament to develop a comprehensive national retirement incomes policy. ASFA looks forward to working with the opposition by providing it with in-depth, evidence-based policy analysis and research," Vamos said.