Labor MP Tanya Plibersek backs Anthony Albanese’s leadership

Tanya Plibersek is backing Anthony Albanese to lead Labor at the next election. But today she found herself front and centre of the opposition’s attack on an outspoken backbencher.

Senior Labor figure Tanya Plibersek says she is “sure” Anthony Albanese will lead the party to the next election.

Her backing comes despite the Labor leader’s frontbench overhaul in which he stripped Ms Plibersek of the training portfolio.

Speaking on Sky News on Wednesday, Mr Albanese’s rival was asked if she could guarantee he would hold on to the top job.

“I can, I’m sure, and I can tell you that the last thing people want to hear from us is us talking about ourselves,” Ms Plibersek said.

“It’s not just boring for people to listen to, this constant internal stuff, it’s actually disrespectful at a time like this when everyone is focused on the pandemic.

“That is 100 per cent my focus and it’s 100 per cent the focus of the Labor Party.”

Ms Plibersek has been tipped as a replacement for Mr Albanese. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Monique Harmer

The federal opposition has ramped up its attack on Coalition backbencher Craig Kelly, demanding he be reprimanded for spreading misinformation about the coronavirus on social media.

Ms Plibersek confronted Mr Kelly in the parliamentary corridor on Wednesday morning, saying he was sharing “crazy conspiracy theories” that would prevent people from getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

“My mum lives in your electorate and I don’t want her exposed to people who are not going to be vaccinated,” she said.

Mr Kelly defended his stance, telling her to listen to respected immunologists such as Professor Robert Clancy.

“Tell people in Labor to stop spreading this information about it because they‘re the ones that are causing confusion in the public and they’re the ones that need to be reigned in,” he said.

Mr Kelly was immediately hauled into the Prime Minister’s office for a dressing down. Scott Morrison made it clear he could not support Mr Kelly’s views nor his actions.

Mr Kelly was asked him to refrain from pushing views are were contrary to the accepted medical advice and was told it was negatively impacting the government’s critically important vaccine strategy.

He was told to focus on his constituents in the seat of Hughes and agreed to restrain his social media posts.

Tanya Plibersek and Craig Kelly clash in the press gallery corridor. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

After the face off, Ms Plibersek told 2GB she didn’t expect Mr Kelly to agree with her. But she did expect him not to say things that contradicted the chief medical officer, the Prime Minister and Health Minister.

“The government right now is rolling out a $24m advertising campaign to get people confident to take the vaccine when it’s available, and Craig Kelly is out there giving the opposite message,” she said.

Meanwhile, the education spokeswoman has also raised concerns about 17,000 job losses across the university sector, which is preparing for further revenue shortfalls.

The absence of international students due to COVID-19 travel restrictions has been a blow for universities.

But Ms Plibersek said the first priority should be getting thousands of Australians home.

Originally published as Labor MP Tanya Plibersek backs Anthony Albanese’s leadership