Labor leader Anthony Albanese on leadership, next federal election

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has opened up about the next federal election, which could be called as early as August.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says he has what it takes to beat Scott Morrison and lead Labor to victory at the next election.

Mr Albanese’s leadership was thrown into question again this week after a union-commissioned poll showed the party was set to lose two seats in the coalmining region of the Hunter Valley.

CFMEU national political organiser Elizabeth Dodge said Tanya Plibersek would have a better chance at winning.

Speaking on 2GB on Wednesday, Mr Albanese defended his position, saying it was not untenable.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is touring Queensland, where Labor failed to pick up seats at the 2019 election. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

He said he’d shown “strong leadership”, particularly when taking on militant union boss John Setka.

“I showed strong leadership when people were out of line within my party and bringing the party into disrepute,” he said.

“We also resisted some of the views of some people in the movement and on Twitter who wanted us to oppose everything that the government did last year.

“We will present a real strong alternative at the next selection, I’m confident we can get there.”

Ms Plibersek said Mr Albanese was “doing a really good job at a really difficult time” and would take Labor to the next election.

But she declined to comment when asked if she harboured ambitions to lead the party.

Tanya Plibersek (left) has been touted as a potential leader, but said Mr Albanese would take Labor to the next election. She refused to comment on her long-term leadership ambitions. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Monique Harmer

“I’m not going to start talking about Labor Party internals because people will never forgive us,” she told 2GB on Tuesday.

“People have died, people have lost their jobs, businesses have closed. We’re still in the middle of a pandemic. I’m not going to engage in that stuff.”

Mr Albanese on Wednesday made a speech to the Perth USAsia Centre, condemning Mr Morrison’s response to the Capitol riots.

Mr Albanese said his leadership approach was in “stark contrast” to Mr Morrison, who had failed to call out people like Craig Kelly for backing conspiracy theories about the US election.

“Scott Morrison was the only leader of a democracy who seemed incapable of saying the obvious, which is that Donald Trump played a role in inciting what were dreadful scenes,” he said.

“It shouldn’t be beyond the Australian prime minister to state the obvious.”