Malcolm Turnbull's new job as Anthony Albanese denies Bill Shorten leadership threat

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has been hired for a surprising new role and it's got nothing to do with politics or Parliament in Canberra.

Malcolm Turnbull has a new job and so does Labor leader Anthony Albanese, who has been forced to deny Bill Shorten poses a leadership threat to him. 

Mr Turnbull has gone back to the world of finance, as reports emerged today that Mr Shorten told allies he still has leadership ambitions. 

Mr Albanese was asked by Today Show host Deborah Knight how he could effectively lead the party with a "ghost of a past leader" haunting him.

"You better watch your back ... because reports this morning that Bill Shorten has told allies he wants to return as Labor leader," Knight said.

Mr Albanese responded: "We will be a united team. I've been elected unanimously by the Labor Party to lead. We had a leadership team. We have gender balance. We have talent. A mix of new people coming in."

Knight interjected: "Will you sit Bill Shorten down then an tell him to tow the line?," before the Labor leader responded, "I don't need to".

Mr Shorten labelled the claims as “wrong” on Twitter.

“I have and will work hard every day to keep our party united and make the case for Labor under Albo’s leadership at the next election,” he said.

He yesterday blamed the "vested interests" of others for his spectacular election loss. Today, Mr Albanese agreed with him. 

"Obviously we were up against corporate leviathans, a financial behemoth, spending unprecedented hundreds of millions of dollars advertising, telling lies, spreading fear,” he told the Labor caucus.

“Powerful vested interests campaigned against us through sections of the media itself, and they got what they wanted.”

RECAP THE DAY IN POLITICS BELOW

Updates

6:51 pm May 31, 2019 Highlight

Turnbull's new job revealed

Shoba Rao

KKR & Co has appointed former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as a global senior adviser, the global investment firm says.

The appointment is effective from June 1, KKR said in a statement. Turnbull, 64, served as Australia’s 29th prime minister from September 2015 to August 2018, when he was ousted in a leadership battle.

The appointment marks a return to the world of finance for Turnbull, a former lawyer who held a host of high-profile corporate roles before entering politics as a local member of parliament in 2004.

In the 1990s, Turnbull was the local managing director of global investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

He was also an investor in one of Australia’s first internet service providers, OzEmail, reportedly buying a stake for $500,000 in 1994 and selling it for $57 million to MCI Worldcom five years later.

Turnbull had several shadow ministry and cabinet positions for the Liberal party and coalition government before orchestrating a leadership coup and becoming prime minister in September 2015.

He was himself unseated as prime minister in another leadership challenge in August 2018, one of four Australian prime ministers to be overthrown by their own party in a decade.

Turnbull’s first appointment since leaving government puts him in the company of several Australian prime ministers and senior politicians to take up financial advisory roles after leaving office.

Former Prime Minister Paul Keating became an adviser to investment bank Lazard Australia, while former New South Wales Premier Bob Carr became a consultant to the country’s biggest investment bank, Macquarie Group.

KKR counts around 18 senior advisers and 27 industry advisers who provide counsel on investment implications of trends and developments in public policy, regulation, societal needs and technology around the world.

Among the senior advisers with experience in the Asia Pacific region are former HSBC group chairman John Bond, former Qantas chairman Leigh Clifford and former Singaporean minister Lim Hwee Hua, according to KKR’s website.

– Reuters

5:05 pm May 31, 2019 Highlight

When Parliament is back on

Shoba Rao

The 46th federal parliament is set to open on July 2. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate will sit for three days from July 2, beginning with formal proceedings to open parliament. After the initial three days, parliamentarians will have two weeks off before returning for a fortnight of sittings from Monday, July 22.

Sitting weeks will also be held in early September, the middle of October, November and early December – a total of 39 days.

Senate estimate hearings are pencilled in for the week beginning October 21, the parliamentary sitting calendar shows.

– AAP

2:56 pm May 31, 2019 Highlight

PM's first trip overseas - what's on the agenda

Shoba Rao

Scott Morrison will focus on renewing ties with old friends on his first trip overseas since being re-elected as prime minister.

Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny will travel to the Solomon Islands, the UK and Singapore over the next week with a packed agenda.

The federal government has a strong focus on the Pacific, stepping up Australia’s engagement in the region, and Mr Morrison is keen to show this in action.

He will meet with Solomons prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, who was elected for his fourth stint as leader in April.

The pair have spoken before but this is their first meeting in person. It is the first visit by an Australian prime minister since 2008 and events will mark the long cooperation between the nations during the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), which formally ended in 2017, and celebrate connections between people including through sport and education. Mr Morrison is expected to make announcements building on the themes of the Pacific step-up: economic development, infrastructure, labour mobility and tackling shared security challenges.

Picture: Kym Smith

In London, the prime minister will meet British economic and security officials. He’ll also address the Australia-UK Chamber of Commerce, underlining his government’s commitment to the economic partnership with Britain and plans to move quickly on a free trade agreement once Brexit is resolved. He arrives in London at a time of turmoil, with British prime minister Theresa May planning to step down as leader of the Conservatives on June 7 after repeated Brexit failures.

US president Donald Trump will also be in town, drawing the attention of much of the UK political establishment.

On June 5, Mr Morrison will represent Australia at the 75th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings.

The events in Portsmouth, hosted by the Queen alongside more than 300 WWII veterans, will tell the story of D-Day through musical performance, testimonial readings and military displays, including a fly-past of 25 modern and historical aircraft.

Picture: Getty

It will also give Mr Morrison the opportunity to talk with world leaders including Mrs May, Mr Trump, French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Angela Merkel, and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.

He’s hoping to build support for his proposed G20 initiative to stop terrorists exploiting social media, along with discussions on other topics including Iran, Syria, the global economy and world trade.

In Singapore, he will join his counterpart Lee Hsien Loong for the annual leaders meeting, joined by Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and Trade Minister Simon Birmingham.

At a lunch with some 400 businesspeople, Mr Morrison plans to highlight Australia’s commitments to deepening economic and security ties with Southeast Asia.

– AAP

12:02 pm May 31, 2019

'Long process to get Indigenous recognition right': Wyatt

David Aidone

Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the constitution has to be done right or it will be put on hold for decades, Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt says.

Speaking at the National Reconciliation Breakfast in Perth on Friday, Mr Wyatt said the government remained committed to constitutional recognition, but it would be a long process.

"We want to get it right,” Mr Wyatt said.

“If we don’t, we risk putting this issue on hold for another 30 or 40 years.” Work would continue with indigenous communities to design a model for the change and a referendum would then be held.

Picture: Kym Smith

He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establish a central National Resting Place for ancestral remains that were removed from country and placed in museums, universities and private collections in Australia and overseas for more than 150 years.

Establishing the resting place in Canberra was a recommendation in a bipartisan report in November that followed an inquiry into enshrining an indigenous voice in the constitution.

“The National Resting Place will be a central place for commemoration, reflection and healing,” Mr Wyatt said.

“A place for ancestral remains to rest in honour and peace, where all Australians can celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.” Mr Wyatt was on Wednesday sworn in as the first indigenous Australian to hold the indigenous affairs portfolio.

11:55 am May 31, 2019

AEC to conclude counting in more seats

David Aidone

The final federal election results will be declared in 24 seats more seats today, as vote counting continues.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who was sworn in on Wednesday along with his ministry, is on track to hold 77 lower house seats in the new parliament. Only two seats remain close – Tasmania’s Bass and Macquarie in NSW. Labor is expected to have 68 seats, down one on the previous election, with six crossbenchers making up the 151-member House of Representatives.

In Macquarie, Labor candidate Susan Templeman is 282 votes ahead of her Liberal rival Sarah Richards.

In the Tasmanian seat of Bass, the Liberals’ Bridget Archer is 581 votes ahead of Labor MP Ross Hart.

On Friday, the Australian Electoral Commission is set to formally declare the results in: Jagajaga, Corio, Fowler, Franklin, Braddon, Scullin, Solomon, Lingiari, Banks, Bendigo, Petrie, Bradfield, Fenner, Groom, Rankin, Chifley, Ballarat, Bruce, Longman, Maranoa, Reid, Kingston, Burt and Curtin.

– AAP

11:23 am May 31, 2019 Highlight

Adani approval imminent as rare bird plan cleared

David Aidone

The Queensland government has approved Adani’s plan to protect a rare bird, leaving the company one step away from being able to proceed with its contentious coal mine.

The state environment department has finally ticked off on Adani’s plan to safeguard the endangered black-throated finch, which lives on its Carmichael mine site in the Galilee basin.

Picture: AAP

The Indian company must now secure one final state approval, on how it will manage groundwater, in order to resume construction of the mine.

The approval of the finch management plan follows the premier’s intervention last week, after Labor’s shock defeat at the federal election.

Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was fed up with delays to state approvals, and conceded voters were too, after Labor was thumped in regions that want Adani’s jobs.

Picture: Patrick Wood

She ordered the coordinator-general to sit down with the company and officials from her environment department and agree on approval deadlines. Adani is now waiting on one final state approval, with a decision on its groundwater management plan due by June 13.

The company has vowed to resume the mine’s construction as soon as it has both approvals in the bag.

– AAP

3:19 pm October 15, 2024

Victorian Liberal MP Tim Wilson has sparked a party upset as reports emerge that he is refusing to back Sarah Henderson for an upcoming Senate vacancy.

The Australian reports Ms Henderson – who lost the marginal Victorian seat of Corangamite at the federal election to Labor candidate Libby Coker – has the support several Victorian Liberal MPs, who are believed to be angry at Mr Wilson for his defiance.

Picture: Aaron Francis

Mr Wilson told The Australian he had not voiced any objection to Ms Henderson's Senate bid, but did not say whether he endorsed her either.

“No, no that’s not true. No. Why would I say that? It’s a lie,” Mr Wilson told The Australian.

“I support a democratic pre­selection process of party ­members.”

The vacancy will emerge when former communications minister Mitch Fifield starts as Australian ambassador to the United Nations.

10:34 am May 31, 2019 Highlight

Anger as Wilson refuses to back Henderson for Senate spot

David Aidone

Victorian Liberal MP Tim Wilson has sparked a party upset as reports emerge that he is refusing to back Sarah Henderson for an upcoming Senate vacancy.

The Australian reports Ms Henderson – who lost the marginal Victorian seat of Corangamite at the federal election to Labor candidate Libby Coker – has the support several Victorian Liberal MPs, who are believed to be angry at Mr Wilson for his defiance.

Picture: Aaron Francis

Mr Wilson told The Australian he had not voiced any objection to Ms Henderson's Senate bid, but did not say whether he endorsed her either.

“No, no that’s not true. No. Why would I say that? It’s a lie,” Mr Wilson told The Australian.

“I support a democratic pre­selection process of party ­members.”

The vacancy will emerge when former communications minister Mitch Fifield starts as Australian ambassador to the United Nations.

3:19 pm October 15, 2024

The Coalition could face a battle in the Senate in to pass their "big stick" energy laws.

Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor indicated on Wednesday he was preparing the legislation, which would compel power companies to cut wholesale prices and guarantee supply.

Picture: Kym Smith

The proposed laws – which the industry has labelled draconian, extreme and arbitrary – would give the federal government unprecedented powers to break up power companies.

The Australian reported on Wednesday that while Labor and the Greens opposed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct) Bill 2018, Centre Alliance had supported the legislation in the lower house, suggesting its two Senators would as well.

Picture: Gary Ramage

But this morning, Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick took to Twitter to criticise the proposed laws.

"The Government’s ‘big stick’ policy addresses only half the misconduct taking place in the electricity market," he wrote.

"It only tackles misconduct in the retail sector but does nothing to reign in the Australian gas cartel driving up the input costs to electricity generators."

– with AAP

10:08 am May 31, 2019 Highlight

"Big stick" energy laws could face Senate hurdle

David Aidone

The Coalition could face a battle in the Senate in to pass their "big stick" energy laws.

Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor indicated on Wednesday he was preparing the legislation, which would compel power companies to cut wholesale prices and guarantee supply.

Picture: Kym Smith

The proposed laws – which the industry has labelled draconian, extreme and arbitrary – would give the federal government unprecedented powers to break up power companies.

The Australian reported on Wednesday that while Labor and the Greens opposed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct) Bill 2018, Centre Alliance had supported the legislation in the lower house, suggesting its two Senators would as well.

Picture: Gary Ramage

But this morning, Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick took to Twitter to criticise the proposed laws.

"The Government’s ‘big stick’ policy addresses only half the misconduct taking place in the electricity market," he wrote.

"It only tackles misconduct in the retail sector but does nothing to reign in the Australian gas cartel driving up the input costs to electricity generators."

– with AAP