PM brushes off Plibersek question as MPs jostle for seat at cabinet table

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to guarantee Tanya Plibersek will keep the environment ministry if Labor retains government as ambitious MPs jostle for promotions in a second-term cabinet.

Albanese and Plibersek’s chequered history came under the spotlight again after Albanese reached for a handshake when Plibersek appeared ready to give him a hug at Labor’s campaign launch, prompting questions to Albanese about Plibersek’s future.

Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek’s awkward exchange at the Labor Party launch.Credit: ABC News

Asked if Plibersek would retain her portfolio, Albanese said: “You know what I’ll commit to? Trying to win this election … Tanya Plibersek has been a friend of mine for a long period of time. We live in neighbouring seats. We’re good mates. And she’s doing a fantastic job. She’s doing a fantastic job.”

While Plibersek’s environment protection reforms were pulled at the last minute by the prime minister in November last year, a previously unreported statement from the Labor caucus confirms Albanese and Plibersek promised MPs a version of the laws would be back on the agenda next term.

“We understand the concerns of the environment movement, and we value their contributions to better environmental policy,” the statement said. “That’s why a re-elected Labor government will reform federal environment laws, including establishing Australia’s first ever national EPA [environment protection agency].”

Several Labor sources, including some who are close to Plibersek, said it was highly unlikely that Albanese would dump Plibersek from the cabinet after the election, even if he retained majority government and had greater authority to execute his will.

But it remains to be seen if she holds on to the challenging portfolio in any reshuffle.

Often touted as a Labor leader, Plibersek lost the education and women portfolios when Labor won in 2022, and was handed the lower-profile environment portfolio in this term.

The prime minister gave a firmer defence of another minister, Julie Collins, later in the day, saying the small business minister “will always have my support because she’s a fantastic minister”.

Plibersek is not expecting a promotion out of environment, allies in caucus say.

Instead, they say she will need to weigh up if she is still hungry enough to position herself as a future leader – competing against Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke – although Albanese has repeatedly pledged to serve a full term if re-elected.

Plibersek made light of her awkward encounter with Albanese when appearing on breakfast TV, saying she should not have tried to hug him.

“During the election campaign, the last thing you want is to catch a cold from someone. So that’s on me. I should’ve done the elbow bump, I reckon,” she said on Sunrise.

As the prospect of a Labor win firms, some MPs are already speculating about the composition of a second Albanese ministry. Twelve current cabinet ministers were ministers in the last Rudd ministry before the 2013 election.

If the government loses seats in Victoria, as widely expected, MPs from that state could forfeit a spot on the next front bench, as positions are based on quotas.

There has been pressure within the Victorian Right faction for Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus to step aside, but the government’s top legal mind wants to continue in the job and Albanese values his contribution.

Retiring Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones must be replaced in the outer ministry, with assistant ministers Tim Ayres and Patrick Gorman seen as strong contenders to jump into the cabinet and potentially Jones’ portfolio. Existing minister Jenny McAllister is also a potential replacement in Jones’ portfolio.

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