Rivals circle Anthony Albanese for Labor leadership amid reshuffle

Anthony Albanese has unveiled the new-look Labor frontbench he believes he will take to the next election, in what is seen as a last-ditch effort to shore up his leadership and appease critics.

In a last-ditch effort to shore up his leadership and appease critics Anthony Albanese has unveiled the new-look Labor frontbench he believes he will take to the next election.

With alternative leaders circling, Mr Albanese’s key changes — including dumping Mark Butler from the energy and climate change portfolio, and pivoting deputy leader Richard Marles into a domestically focused role — have been described by Labor sources as a “hail Mary” to hold onto power.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

But the leader has shrugged off suggestions his position was under threat, insisting the major shake-up of the party’s senior ranks had produced the “strongest team to form an Albanese Labor government”.

As part of the reshuffle education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek regains women, but loses skills, which Mr Albanese said was a reflection of how the government grouped the jobs-related portfolios.

A spike in media activity by Ms Plibersek, who has long been considered an alternative leader, has caught the attention of her colleagues in the Labor caucus, with one member telling The Daily Telegraph it was clear she was “on the offensive”.

A reader poll voted Tanya Plibersek as preferred Labor leader. Picture: Adam Yip

Asked about the potential threat to his leadership, Mr Albanese said the words of his colleague were “consistent” with his own past speeches.

“I’ve got no problem at all with members of the Labor Party putting forward the views which we all hold.”

Ms Plibersek got the tick of approval from 38 per cent of almost 1600 readers who responded to an online poll for The Daily Telegraph asking who their preferred Labor leader was.

Mr Albanese was close behind with 33 per cent, followed by former leader Bill Shorten on 16 per cent. Chris Bowen was fourth with 13 per cent.

One Labor source said the reshuffle would go some way to calming concern in the NSW and Victorian right factions of the party, but only if the changes resulted in a clear improvement in performance.

Labor’s health spokesman and former Treasurer Chris Bowen is considered a likely contender to replace Anthony Albanese as leader. Picture: Gary Ramage

Labor deputy leader Richard Marles is considered a potential future leader. Picture: Gary Ramage

Labor’s treasurer spokesman Jim Chalmers is also in the future leadership mix. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Mr Albanese had been under sustained pressure from several people in the party’s right to remove Mr Butler, a key left faction ally, from the contentious climate role.

After last year declaring Mr Butler would not be shuffled from the portfolio, Mr Albanese said the sudden change of heart had come over the Christmas break when the pair had “agreed” it was a good idea.

Mr Butler takes on the all-important health and ageing portfolio, a critical role in the midst of the pandemic.

“I am honoured to be appointed … at this critical time as Australia grapples with a once-in-a-century pandemic and a crisis in aged care,” Mr Butler said.

Mr Bowen has taken on the energy portfolio, leaving sceptics of the change to wait and see if he alters the party rhetoric on coal and gas.

Pushed on how the change would impact Labor’s climate change policy goals, Mr Albanese said the party would have a “clear policy” for “all to see well before the election”.

“It will be consistent with net zero by 2050,” he said.

“It will be consistent with Australia becoming a renewable energy superpower.”

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten has warned his party not to pursue a ‘tiny’ policy agenda ahead of the next election. Picture: Gary Ramage

Mr Bowen said Australia could not “stand by” and allow jobs to be “decimated” as global markets “shift away from carbon-intensive industries”.

Former frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon, who has long been a staunch critic of Mr Butler, said Labor would need to do more than change the “jockey” to regain the trust of blue-collar workers in coal and gas industries.

“We really do need to change the policy trajectory and to recalibrate,” he said.

Ed Husic has been given industry and innovation after temporarily filling in on agriculture and resources.

Western Australia has clawed the resources portfolio from the eastern states, with Madeleine King taking on the role, except for a newly created assistant position called “Queensland resources”, which has been given to Senator Murray Watt.

Tasmanian Julie Collin gets a promotion into shadow cabinet, taking agriculture.

Brendan O’Connor has been moved into the role of defence spokesman, following concern Mr Marles could be better used on a domestic-focused portfolio.

The creation of a new portfolio called National Reconstruction, Employment Skills and Small Business for Mr Marles was described by Mr Albanese as shorthand for “jobs, jobs and more jobs”.

Mr Marles said Australia was now at a point in the pandemic that required “vision” to map out a plan to recover from the economic and health impacts of the crisis.

”As we look beyond COVID-19, we are now at a point where we have the opportunity to reimagine Australia, to reimagine an Australia which has an economy in it that builds and generates permanent long-term jobs,” he said.