Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s bold Joe Biden comparison

Under pressure Labor leader Anthony Albanese has made a huge claim when he named his new frontbench today.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has defiantly predicted he can follow in the footsteps of US President Joe Biden and claim victory at the next federal election.

Amid mounting leadership speculation, Mr Albanese announced a major reshuffle today urging Australians not to assume Labor will lose the next election again.

“I can think of a couple who told me that it was absolutely certain that Donald Trump would win re-election,’’ he said.

“Absolutely certain, a lay down misere. But a bloke who was a former Deputy Leader and an experienced politician who had held a wide range of portfolios and who was someone who was underestimated by some - he is now President of the United States, and I will be the Leader of this country after the next election.”

Mr Biden was Vice-President during the Obama years while Mr Albanese was briefly deputy leader during the return of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2013.

LABOR’S RESCHUFFLE

Mr Albanese has confirmed a big shake-up of his frontbench that includes a COVID-19 reconstruction super portfolio for his deputy Richard Marles and stripping responsibilities from leadership contender Tanya Plibersek.

In a major reshuffle of his frontbench, Ms Plibersek will retain the education portfolio but lose skills to build a super portfolio for Mr Marles.

His new COVID economic reconstruction portfolio will be focused on creating jobs and include national reconstruction, employment, skills, small business and science.

In a testy press conference, Mr Albanese declined to say if his loyal lieutenant Mark Butler had asked to be moved from the climate change portfolio, or if he was pushed.

“I’m the leader. All responsibilities rests with me on all decisions,’’ Mr Albanese said.

But the reshuffle was dogged by speculation of a leadership tension, with one Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon also calling for a fresh debate on the rules that govern the removal of leaders.

Mr Albanese did not mention Ms Plibersek by name as he ran through a lengthy list of shadow cabinet ministers and when asked about her recent ideas for COVID-19 economy he changed the subject.

“Would you expect that posturing to stop as a result of the reshuffle and given we are potentially in an election year?,’’ Mr Albanese was asked.

“I looked at Tanya’s comments today. Look at my speech, it is available to all of you in this room a year ago,’’ he replied.

“I spoke about Curtin and Chifley and national reconstruction and we should look at that, in terms of the post-pandemic recovery. This bloke here (Richard Marles) has got the job of looking after employment and that sort of activity along with Ed Husic and our economic team led by Jim Chalmers.”

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Lashing out at the media, the Labor leader accused critics of peddling “nonsense” that the decision to move Labor frontbencher Mark Butler from the climate change portfolio meant he was watering down Labor’s policies.

“No, that is up to you what the nonsense, frankly, that some of you from time to time write,’’ he said.

“Chris Bowen has a very strong position on climate change. I have a strong position on climate change. There is no way that a Labor Government that I lead won’t take action on climate change. Zero possibility.”

Just months ago, Mr Albanese insisted he would not be shifting Mr Butler from the portfolio after calls to move him to cool internal tensions over energy policy and coal.

“I thought about over the Christmas break, as you do, thought about what was required,’’ Mr Albanese said.

“I agreed with Mark Butler on this change. I think it is a good change. I think he will make an outstanding shadow for health and ageing.”

Amid mounting speculation over his leadership, the Labor leader said he wasn’t focused on internal squabbles.

“This reshuffle and every day that I do the job, is about the Australian people,’’ he said.

“Not about focusing internally, it is about the needs of the Australian people, making sure that we have the right people in the right jobs and in terms of our team going forward, we are able to articulate both holding the government to account but also our alternative vision.”

Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese and Mark Butler, who has been moved from the climate change portfolio. Picture: Sam Mooy

The Labor leader has also confirmed on Thursday that one of his most loyal left-wing factional “mates” Mr Butler will be ejected from the climate change portfolio, a role he has held since 2013.

That job will be handed to NSW Right’s Chris Bowen, who was briefly Treasurer in 2013. He was the architect of the party’s franking credit policy that was recently dumped from the party’s platform.

Confirming the job swap this morning, Mr Albanese said Mr Bowen was the right man for the job.

“I’ve been the climate change spokesperson. Can I say this? I regard it as an economic portfolio and therefore someone who has been the Treasurer of Australia is eminently qualified to fill that role,’’ Mr Albanese said.

But he insisted that did not involve a watering down of Labor’s climate change credentials.

“What we need is strong action on climate change, which will be good for jobs, good for lowering emissions, and also good for lowering energy prices,’’ he said.

Mr Albanese’s most loyal lieutenants retained their existing portfolios.

Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong remains in the foreign affairs portfolio with no change to her responsibilities.

Labor frontbencher Tony Burke also remains in the industrial relations portfolio.

The role of the Defence Minister will go to Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor who is currently in the employment portfolio that may form part of Mr Marle’s new jobs super portfolio.

Labor’s deputy Senate leader Kristina Keneally will take on extra responsibilities for targeting government waste.

Tanya Plibersek. Picture: Adam Yip

The decision to alter Ms Plibersek’s portfolio is likely to be closely watched given her rising profile as a leadership alternative to Mr Albanese.

Underlining those credentials, she wrote in The Australian newspaper today about the post COVID economy.

“We’re not out of the woods yet. Recent outbreaks remind us this virus is relentless,’’ she said.

“But we owe it to everyone who made sacrifices to start thinking about the kind of country we want to rebuild when this crisis is finally behind us.

“The year 2020 showed us it’s possible to achieve amazing things in difficult times. This time last year, it would have been impossible to imagine schools shifting overnight to online learning, or banks offering mortgage holidays, or hotels housing rough sleepers. It would have been impossible to imagine wage subsidies, free childcare and doubling Newstart. In just weeks we achieved all of this and more.”

Chris Bowen. Picture: Gary Ramage

The reshuffle comes after a brutal interview with Mr Albanese on ABC’s 7.30 last night.

“You often ask the question, ‘What’s the point of this government?’ What I would like to ask you is, ‘What’s the point of the Albanese opposition?’,” 7:30 host Laura Tingle asked.

In a follow up question Tingle then asked the Labor leader: “You’re proceeding with a frontbench reshuffle. What do you hope to achieve with this?”

“What I hope to achieve is to show what Labors priorities are,’’ Mr Albanese said.

“It’ll be announced at the weekend and I’m talking through with colleagues and I’m sure that will it achieve a stronger team going forward with the right people in the right jobs, and it will be, I think, a positive move,’’ he said.

Over the weekend former Labor leader Bill Shorten implied Mr Albanese’s policy package was “tiny”.

But he’s not angling for a return to the leadership with Tanya Plibersek remaining the frontrunner but Jim Chalmers, Tony Burke and Richard Marles in the mix.

Mr Albanese, who survived a horrific car accident just weeks ago when a P-plate driver in a Range Rover smashed head on to his car, was also probed over whether he could name a single big ticket policy idea he had prosecuted beyond childcare reform.

“Is that it?,’’ Ms Tingle replied.

But Mr Albanese insisted his leadership was safe and his colleagues were backing him.

“My leadership is secure. I’ll continue to advance an aggressive position for Labor. Last year was a tough year for everyone, 2020,’’ he said.

News.com.au revealed this week the idea was “Captain’s Pick” that had never gone to shadow cabinet and one senior MP described the ideas as “f***ing stupid. Another said it was “C.R.A.Z.Y.”

Mr Albanese first raised the idea in 2018, before he was elected Labor leader. It has never been debated by shadow cabinet.