Bill Shorten: Time for new talent on the Opposition?
BILL Shorten will make a significant reshuffle to his frontbench, promoting the party’s rising stars and considering a push to strengthen the health team to intensify attacks on the government’s credentials.
NSW
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BILL Shorten will make a significant reshuffle to his frontbench, promoting the party’s rising stars and considering a push to strengthen the health team to intensify attacks on the government’s credentials.
It is understood Mr Shorten will make the most of his strengthened position in the Labor caucus, on the back of a better than expected election result, to create the shadow cabinet and outer shadow ministry he personally wants.
The Daily Telegraph understands there is a strong internal push for Mr Shorten to move health spokeswoman Catherine King.
Key Labor figures believe the party needs a higher profile frontbencher to prosecute the misleading Medicare attacks on the Turnbull government.
Many senior Labor figures believe few in the mainstream public know who Ms King is and a frontbencher with a higher profile needs to fill the vital role which Mr Shorten took upon himself to sucessfully prosecute during the campaign.
Piror to the election, many within the party believed some of Labor’s frontbench stalwarts such as Jenny Macklin and Kim Carr would move to the backbench to allow for new blood.
However, given Labor came so close to government it is believed the older guard may want to remain in the shadow cabinet which will make it more difficult for Mr Shorten to promote young stars.
The Opposition Leader has remained tight lipped about his post election plans and may take several weeks to form his new team.
Mr Shorten has only guaranteed that shadow treasurer Chris Bowen will not be moved from his current portfolio.
Mr Shorten’s close ally David Feeney is expected to be dumped from the shadow ministry after his gaffe prone election campaign.
It is likely Jim Chalmers, former chief-of-staff to Wayne Swan, will be promoted from the outer ministry into shadow cabinet.
Brisbane MP Terri Butler is also expected to be promoted into the ministry from a shadow parliamentary secretary position.
Mr Shorten indicated yesterday he would review his ministry over the coming weeks, indicating he had a number of rising stars within the party who are worthy of promotion.
“We’ve got lost of new talented people,’’ he said.
“I have a good problem, a happy problem. I’ve got a lot of talent.”
He said he would produce the “best possible line-up” when Parliament resumes in August.
When asked directly about a reshuffle he replied: “I’ll consult with my colleagues in the coming weeks.”
It is believed Mr Shorten is in no rush to announce the reshuffle.
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