Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek brushes off questions about campaign

Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek has responded to questions about her role in the federal election campaign.

Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek has brushed off speculation about her absence from the election campaign by saying “it’s all a storm in a teacup”.

The party’s most senior female MP was in Western Australia on Tuesday, two days after she was noticeably absent from Labor’s official campaign launch in Perth.

The popular education spokeswoman and former health minister, who has long been slated as a potential future Labor leader, instead attended a union rally in Sydney on Sunday.

She has not been seen with Mr Albanese on the road, prompting questions over whether she had been sidelined from the campaign.

Both she and the Labor leader strongly deny the claims, with Ms Plibersek now expected to join Mr Albanese on the trail following speculation over disunity within the party.

Tanya Plibersek didn’t attend the Labor campaign launch on Sunday. Picture: The Australian / Monique Harmer

Asked about her own leadership aspirations on Tuesday, Ms Plibersek said she had known Mr Albanese since she was 14 years old and “we’ve been friends a long time”.

“I am absolutely focused on winning this election and making Anthony Albanese the next prime minister of Australia,” she told reporters.

“That’ll be a great day for this country.”

Her comments echoed those of former Labor leader Bill Shorten, who also described the matter as a “storm in a teacup”.

“Australia is a big place. Not all of us move around in a giant group with Anthony Albanese on the plane during the election campaign,” he told Nine’s Today earlier on Tuesday.

“We are out there winning votes all over Australia.”

Nine News reporter Chris O'Keefe hit back by saying: “Sorry, Albo is threatened by Tanya, it is very, very clear.

“Just like you, Bill, were threatened by Albanese back in 2019. You know how this works.

“Nobody here is believing that you guys are sitting at the coalface and just chipping away at votes in your electorate.

“Please, this is politics. It is an election.”

Bill Shorten clashed with Chris O'Keefe.

Mr Shorten may well have been reminded of the events of 2019, when he led Labor to its stunning federal election defeat and then lost the party leadership to Mr Albanese.

O’Keefe said Mr Albanese would be “looking over his shoulder” in a similar manner at Ms Plibersek while hoping the election went well.

“Tanya is sitting there doing the numbers about what will happen if it doesn’t go well,” O’Keefe said.

“She will be the leader of the Labor Party. We all know that, Bill. Stop pulling our leg.”

Mr Shorten wouldn’t be drawn on the speculation, instead taking a swipe of his own by suggesting the TV host “do some boxercise”.

“Chris, I understand it is Tuesday morning, you want to get the punch in and the boxing gloves on,” he said.

“Good on you, son … Let’s not make it down here. We will get you down to boxercise class and get it out of your system.”