Newly-promoted Senator Katy Gallagher has acknowledged elements of ACT Labor are concerned at federal refugee policies, but says she does not resile from her party's position.
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Senator Gallagher was promoted in Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's reshuffled shadow ministry on Saturday, winning a role in shadow cabinet with the small business and financial services portfolio.
Labor MP Andrew Leigh kept the shadow assistant treasurer position, and will also act as spokesman for competition, productivity, charities and the not-for-profit sector.
That comes despite Dr Leigh, praised by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Saturday as a "tremendous intellect", copping a $40,000 pay cut due to a complex factional deal within federal Labor.
Labor MP Gai Brodtmann was appointed the shadow assistant minister for cyber security and defence personnel, meaning all three of the ACT's federal Labor politicians are in the shadow ministry.
Both Mr Leigh and Senator Gallagher were at the ACT Labor conference in Civic when they learned of their new roles on Saturday.
Earlier, during a debate about reforming party fees, the conference heard that roughly 300 members had left ACT Labor.
One delegate, Ben Halliday, attributed the departure of members to the policies of federal Labor, including on refugee detention.
"It's because our party federally has let us down, it's because some people have gone and supported federally some pretty dodgy policies like the refugee stuff," he said.
"I've had so many arguments with people saying 'I'm leaving this party because it stands for nothing, it doesn't stand for human rights' … and they've gone and campaigned for the Greens or whatever."
He urged ACT Labor to continue campaigning for fairer, more progress policies, comments which were met by a round of applause from the floor.
Federal Labor's border protection policies, finalised at last year's national conference, include controversial stances on maintaining offshore detention and a turn-back policy.
Senator Gallagher said she was "certainly aware" of the disquiet about the policies from some within ACT Labor.
"The policy was settled, now that doesn't mean individual branch members necessarily feel that that's the end of it," Senator Gallagher said.
"So they'll continue to debate. We're a political organisation, people debate issues, and they continue to do that.
"But as far as our policy goes, and the direction we go federally, that matter was settled at national conference."
Senator Gallagher said she had considered federal Labor's border protection policies closely, and said they struck the right balance.
"I have actually spent a lot of time looking at this issue because it is a vexed one for party members," she said.
"They want to see strong borders but they also want to see a humane approach to how we deal with people seeking asylum.
"There is no simple solution to meeting everybody's needs."
