 Ryan was promoted to Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition in 2003, and rose rapidly after the 2003 state election, becoming Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Council, Shadow Minister for Community Services and Shadow Minister for Disability.As the Shadow Minister for Disability he advocated to have young people with disabilities removed from aged care nursing homes.The campaign bore fruit in 2006 when the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a $244 million five-year program to move hundreds of people aged under 50 out of nursing homes across Australia.