Bill Shorten denies Anthony Albanese leadership challenge

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten has ruled out challenging Anthony Albanese’s leadership ahead of the next election but refused to back down from policy criticism.

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten. Picture: Sean Davey.

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten has ruled out challenging Anthony Albanese’s leadership ahead of the next election but refused to back down from his criticism of the party’s policy agenda.

Mr Shorten reignited internal divisions on Sunday when he ­cautioned against taking a “tiny” policy agenda to the people.

The opposition government services spokesman also urged Labor to be a party that “stands for something” and recapture the working-class vote.

After outrage from the Opposition Leader’s allies over his speech, which was made as he launched The Write Stuff, a collection of essays by Labor Right MPs and factional figures, Mr Shorten quickly moved to clarify his comments.

He insisted he did not believe the party under Mr Albanese had a tiny agenda but stressed the need for Labor to learn from past lessons. “Having a no-policy ­approach would be a mistake,” he said on ABC radio.

“I’m saying that this election is winnable under Anthony.

“I learnt at the last election that we probably put too many big ideas out there but Labor’s at its best when we’re positive and we’re offering views.”

Mr Shorten said he would not run for the Labor leadership and he shared “with every member of the caucus a desire to win the next election”.

Mr Albanese played down internal criticism of his leadership and reiterated that Labor would roll out a “range of policies” before the election, which could be held as early as August.

“We’ll take a good Labor agenda to the next election,” the Labor leader said.

“I’ll give you a few big ones that we’ve already announced. Wage subsidies, they’ve now been done. Mental health support for people during COVID, they’ve been done. Increase to Newstart, that was done.”

Asked if he was frustrated with Mr Shorten’s speech, he replied: “Not at all. Bill Shorten launched a book. Labor Party people write books. Labor Party people launch books. We’re the party of ideas.”

Mr Albanese added that he was guided by the recommen­dations in the internal review of Labor’s 2019 election loss.

The findings concluded that Mr Shorten’s unpopularity and the party’s failure to compile a ­cohesive and persuasive election strategy were key areas that contributed to the party’s defeat.

“What we need is more strategy, less day-to-day tactics,” Mr Albanese said.

Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon, who quit Labor’s frontbench late last year amid a rift over climate policy and emissions reduction targets, said Mr Shorten’s speech was “one worth listening to”.

He hoped internal criticism of Mr Albanese’s leadership would drive Labor towards unity and victory at the next election.

“I welcome more people speaking out about some of the challenges we face,” Mr Fitzgibbon told Sky News.

Mr Albanese has refused to confirm whether Labor would take a medium-term emissions reduction policy for 2030 or 2035 to the next election.