Anthony Albanese announces retirement of Linda Burney, Brendan O’Connor

The Opposition says Labor’s factional system means Anthony Albanese won’t be able to announce the best team in his ministerial reshuffle on Sunday.

The Prime Minister will make the first changes to his front bench since coming into power after two senior ministers announced their retirements, allowing Anthony Albanese to reset as he prepares for an election.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, 67, and Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor, 62, will leave parliament at the election, due by May next year.

Their decision now allows Mr Albanese to bring in new blood to the ministry which has been unchanged since the May 2022 election.

Mr Albanese will announce the changes on Sunday, but only after the factions put forward nominees to replace the Victorian and NSW left wing ministers.

Nationals senate leader Bridget McKenzie says that process means the Prime Minister has to check with “his factional and union bosses” about who will in line for promotion.

“It has to go through this subterranean approval process which doesn’t mean that the best people will get the jobs,” she told Sky News.

“It’ll be the best union-promoted, factional boss-approved people that will get the job and I think that’ll be to the detriment of the Australian public.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised his retiring ministers Brendan O’Connor and Linda Burney. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor said he wanted to spend more time with his daughter and elderly father. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Retiring Minister Linda Burney also announced her retirement on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Mr Albanese on Thursday returned from a five-day holiday in north Queensland to announce the long-expected retirements of Ms Burney and Mr O’Connor, who will stand down from the ministry immediately.

He said both had “made an outstanding contribution to our government and to our country”.

“In Linda Burney and Brendan O’Connor, I am proud to call my friends,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“I am proud to have witnessed first-hand their passion for this nation, their determination to leave the country better for their contribution as members of Parliament and as ministers.”

“As a result of that they have also made the decision to step down from the ministry to enable a refresh and enable some new ministers to be able to take their place and take us forward over the coming months before the election, which is due in 2025,” Mr Albanese said.

Ms Burney, who oversaw the failed Voice referendum, said now was the time to allow the next generation of Indigenous leaders to have a chance.

“After 21 years in politics, eight years in the federal parliament and 13 years in the NSW Parliament, it’s time for me to pass on the baton to the next generation,” she said.

“It is time for me to pass on that baton to people like Malarndirri McCarthy, Jana Stewart and Gordon Reid.”

Retiring Ministers Linda Burney and Brendan O’Connor during a press conference on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

She said the referendum loss was not the end.

“So whilst people might think it is a defeat, there is some very good things that came out of the referendum,” she said.

“I am proud of the Prime Minister and his leadership. I’m proud of First Nations people, and I’m proud to have been part of it.

She said she did all she could to close the gap for Indigenous Australians.”

Mr O’Connor said he was proud to have been part of the Albanese government, the third Labor government he had been a minister in.

“This is the most cohesive, united government I have witnessed since I was elected,” he said. “The way it goes about things, including today, it is orderly, considered and I think today is a good example of that collegiality and that unity.

“I am very proud to be a part of it.”

Mr Albanese has called for caucus nominations for the front bench.

He will announce the new ministerial line-up on a Sunday in Canberra and the new ministers will be sworn in on Monday morning.

“We have also been an incredibly stable government. No government in living memory has had the same cabinet and ministerial positions for its first two years in office,” Mr Albanese said.

“At the next election, I will be seeking to be the first Prime Minister since John Howard in 2004 to serve out a term and be re-elected as Prime Minister.”

Senator McKenzie said just because Mr Albanese hadn’t sacked anyone “doesn’t mean they’re any good”.

“No one’s been shifted despite there being ample need for many of the ministers who’ve been underperforming to actually be moved on,” Senator McKenzie said.

“I think you’ve seen a recalcitrance … from the Prime Minister (to act on) underperforming ministers.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s front bench has been unchanged till now. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Taylor

Mr Albanese had been widely expected to announce a reshuffle before parliament resumed after the winter break.

The retirement of the two ministers will allow Mr Albanese to make a broader change, which many expect will include move of key ally Andrew Giles whose been under intense pressure in the Immigration portfolio.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on Wednesday pushed for Mr Albanese to sack Mr Giles, saying he had released 153 criminals “unnecessarily” into the community.

Pressure is on the Prime Minister to move Immigration Minister Andrew Giles out of the troubled portfolio. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“The Prime Minister’s test in this reshuffle is whether he sacks Andrew Giles,” Mr Dutton said.

“Anything short of that shows how weak and out of touch this Prime Minister.”

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has also faced pressure over immigration and security issues, with suggestions Agriculture Minister Murray Watt could replace her to reset the government’s handling of the portfolio.

Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy is widely expected to step up to succeed Ms Burney.

The 54-year-old has been a senator for the Northern Territory since 2016 and before that was in the NT parliament.

Other names raised for promotion include assistant ministers Jenny McAllister and Tim Ayres and Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy.

A number of ambitious younger MPs will also be lobbying for assistant minister roles that could become available.

There’s speculation Immigration Minister Andrew Giles and Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil could be moved in the reshuffle. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley said she would be keeping a close eye on

the replacement for Mr O’Connor.

“Brendan O’Connor is a good man and I wish him well on his retirement from politics,” she said in a statement.

“While I have disagreed with much of Brendan O’Connor’s approach, he had a level of experience befitting this important portfolio.

“So today I urge the Prime Minister to replace him with someone of equal standing.”

Opposition spokeswoman for Indigenous Australians Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who was the lead campaigner for the No vote in the Voice referendum, paid her respects to Ms Burney.

“While we have often differed in our views of how to best end indigenous disadvantage, Minister Burney’s career has been driven by a burning desire to improve the lives of indigenous Australians,” Senator Price said.

“When the day comes that Indigenous Australians have the same life expectations

as every other Australian, it will be in part due to Minister Burney’s dedication in area of

politics filled with difficult and harrowing realities.”

Mr Albanese will address the NSW Labor state conference in Sydney on Sunday and attend the Indigenous Garma festival in the Northern Territory next week.

Originally published as Anthony Albanese announces retirement of Linda Burney, Brendan O’Connor