Tim Ayres among four MPs promoted to Labor cabinet

The Labor Caucus has promoted four MPs for Anthony Albanese to pick for ministry positions, after two senior figures were booted.

Assistant trade minister Tim Ayres and Labor backbenchers Sam Rae, Jess Walsh and Daniel Mulino are set to be promoted to cabinet in the re-elected Albanese government.

The four parliamentarians were among the 30 names rubber stamped by the Labor Caucus to serve in ministry positions on Friday.

Everyone in Anthony Albanese’s leadership team was open to being replaced — including the Prime Minister himself — with a vicious factional fight costing Ed Husic and Mark Dreyfus their portfolios

Though, Mr Husic and Mr Dreyfus — who served as science and industry minister and attorney-general respectively in the first Albanese government — were the only two existing ministers to be kicked off the Labor frontbench.

Ed Husic has lost the industry and science portfolio. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mark Dreyfus has also lost his position as attorney-general. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The other two cabinet spots were left vacant by Bill Shorten and Stephen Jones.

Mr Shorten retired last year, while Mr Jones retired earlier this year.

Mr Albanese, who does not get to determine who sits in cabinet but is responsible for assigning ministry positions, will now divvy up the portfolios.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was greeted by cheers and applause as he entered the Labor party room. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Earlier, Mr Albanese welcomed new MPs to the Labor party room and told them to “deliver for the people”.

Mr Albanese was met with cheers and applause as he entered the party room on Friday morning ahead of caucus talks.

Addressing MPs, Mr Albanese stressed they were sitting “where decisions are made”.

“For those of you who are new, welcome,” he said.

“Your objective should be really clear, which is to continue to earn the right to sit in this room, at this end of this corridor, because this is where decisions are made that actually make a difference to the country.

“You need to be in government to make a difference.”

Mr Albanese has welcomed new MPs to the Labor party room and told them to ‘deliver for the people’. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

But he said it was not about pursuing power for power’s sake.

“We don’t seek power for its own sake, not to decide who’s in what part of the building,” Mr Albanese said.

“We seek power in order to deliver for the people who need Labor to be in government and to develop a better nation.

“That’s our objective each and every day.”

Originally published as Tim Ayres among four MPs promoted to Labor cabinet