Anthony Albanese warns caucus against leaking

The Opposition Leader declared his MPs need to speak with a “single voice” ahead of the resumption of federal parliament.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: Getty

Anthony Albanese has warned colleagues against leaking and declared his MPs need to speak with a “single voice” ahead of the resumption of federal parliament.

Addressing his caucus at Parliament House for the first time since the May election, the Opposition Leader also acknowledged it was healthy for differing views to be made before Labor finalised its policy decisions.

Labor MPs said the party had a good run under Bill Shorten’s leadership with little leaking but that had not continued after the election.

“Of course there has been some leaking. That’s just a matter of fact,” Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon told ABC TV.

“When you get leaks from the most senior ranks in the party that is unhelpful for the party and its prospects.

“(Mr Albanese) emphasised the fact that it is important when the party makes a decision we stick together on that decision and unity is our best path to an election win in three years’ time.”

Labor MPs and strategists, led by Mr Fitzgibbon, have called for more freedom to publicly express views that are counter to opposition policy as the party reshapes its message to voters.

Mr Albanese conceded Labor fell short of expectations in Victoria and Western Australia at the election and had large swings against it in Queensland.

The Labor leader’s call for no leaking came as one of his MPs cautioned the debate over the government’s $158 billion personal income tax cuts was overshadowing other key issues like penalty rate cuts, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and “cuts to services”.

The MP said Labor needed to find space to talk about these matters, to which opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers agreed but said it also needed to tell voters it was the only party offering every worker a tax cut in this term of parliament.

Manager of opposition business Tony Burke has advised his lower house colleagues to adjust their diaries so they are in Canberra on Thursday night to deal with the government’s tax cuts, confirming the party wants the legislation voted on by the end of the week.

Proving tax cuts was not the only issue dogging Labor, Mr Albanese noted a press conference held by ACTU president Michele O’Neil today with five workers who will lose money from Sunday penalty rate cuts was dominated by questions about CFMMEU Victorian president John Setka.

There was one question about penalty rates and 14 questions on Mr Setka, Mr Albanese said.

“No individual is more important than the movement,” Mr Albanese told his colleagues.