‘The Godfather’ Don Farrell will retain power despite yielding Labor Senate deputy leadership

SA Labor Senator Don Farrell “sacrificed” his Senate deputy leadership in the interests of party unity but talk of his political obituary are extremely premature – as he has proven repeatedly.

• Election washup: Shorten back in Albanese’s leadership shake-up
• Former Labor Party ‘Godfather’ Don Farrell returns to the Senate

• READ BELOW: It was my choice, says Farrell

Don Farrell’s political obituary has been written countless times before but, on each occasion, reports of his death have been greatly exaggerated.

Just as Vito Corleone survives a shooting at the hands of hitmen from a rival faction in The Godfather movie, so has his Australian namesake recovered, time and again, when his demise seems certain.

He might have relinquished the title of Labor Senate deputy leader but Senator Farrell is poised to play a senior role in new leader Anthony Albanese’s team.

Labor MP Tony Burke and Senator Don Farrell at the party caucus meeting in Canberra on Thursday. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Indeed, Mr Albanese would be extremely unwise to banish the Right powerbroker, whose mentees include state Labor leader Peter Malinauskas and former Adelaide MP and minister Kate Ellis.

Like Bill Shorten and Julia Gillard before him, Mr Albanese, of the Left, will be need Senator Farrell’s expertise to marshall the Right.

Senator Farrell’s political demise was first forecast after he unexpectedly lost the 1988 Adelaide by-election to Liberal Michael Pratt, who campaigned against plans to time local telephone calls.

At the time, he was an assistant secretary in the powerful Shop Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association, which he led from 1993 to 2008 — he was succeeded in the job by Mr Malinauskas.

During that time, the factions spearheaded by Senator Farrell and Labor Left powerbroker Nick Bolkus hauled the state Labor Party from the wreckage of a disastrous 1993 election defeat, which followed the State Bank’s 1991 collapse.

Along with the Left’s Martin Ferguson and Patrick Conlon and the Right’s Joe de Bruyn, they formed a unity coalition, known as The Machine, which squashed internal bickering. Crucially, they agreed an orderly process for allocating preselections and guaranteed Mike Rann two terms as Opposition Leader. These peace agreements underpinned subsequent Labor 16 years of state government and forged a national model for Labor. Rivals and critics argue Senator Farrell epitomises the Labor “faceless man”.

But, as Kate Ellis insisted, he has put the party before himself on several key occasions. He will lose a party title but retain significant influence within the ALP nationally.

It was my choice, says Farrell

Paul Starick

Labor Right powerbroker Don Farrell is insisting he alone decided to sacrifice his Senate deputy leadership spot to former New South Wales premier Kristina Keneally, in the interests of party unity.

Known as “The Godfather” of politics, the South Australian senator on Thursday reversed his determination to reclaim the position, despite having the numbers, to allow Senator Keneally to be installed.

This followed new Labor leader Anthony Albanese on Wednesday signalling his desire for her to be part of his new-look team.

Labor's Senate Leader Penny Wong, Labor Deputy Leader in the Senate Kristina Keneally, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles at Parliament House House on Thursday. Picture: Kym Smith

Senator Farrell, whose fellow SA Senator Penny Wong remains Labor’s Upper House leader, is likely to retain a very senior leadership role when Mr Albanese announces his frontbench positions on Sunday. With the addition of Victorian MP Richard Marles as deputy to Mr Albanese, Labor’s leadership team now has two men and two women.

Speaking after Senator Keneally paid tribute to his commitment to gender equality, Senator Farrell told The Advertiser: “I made this decision by myself and I made it in the best interests of the Labor Party, to ensure an Anthony Albanese prime ministership in three years’ time.”

It is likely Senator Farrell, a key national Right factional leader, will play a crucial role in protecting Mr Albanese’s leadership, as he did with Bill Shorten and Julia Gillard.

It is the second time Senator Farrell has fallen on his sword in favour of a Labor woman — he lost his Senate spot in 2013 having ceded the number one spot on Labor’s ticket to Senator Wong.

His bid to enter state politics at the 2014 election in a safe northern suburbs seat was blocked by the-then premier Jay Weatherill, of the Left, but Senator Farrell recovered to return to the Senate in 2016 and secure the deputy leadership.

Mr Albanese thanked him for putting aside his personal interests for those of the party, as he had done previously.

“He will remain a valued member of my shadow cabinet and he will have a senior role,” Mr Albanese said.

In an impassioned Twitter message, former Adelaide MP Kate Ellis paid tribute to her mentor: “Few have played a bigger or longer role in uniting our party than Don Farrell. Few have made as many repeated personal sacrifices. Few have taken such risks to support young women into parliament.”

Senator Keneally, NSW’s first female premier, said Mr Farrell had put into action Labor’s commitment to gender equality in its leadership team and lifting up women in the community.