Coal fears as Marles firms for Labor deputy

The Victorian Labor frontbencher is firming as the frontrunner to become Albanese’s deputy.

Richard Marles is frontrunner for Labor deputy leader. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Victorian Labor frontbencher Richard Marles is firming as the frontrunner to become deputy to an incoming Anthony Albanese, triggering concerns among party figures in Queensland over the pair’s ability to reach out to the state’s pro-coal constituency.

The Australian has been told Queensland Right frontbencher Jim Chalmers may not run for the deputy leadership because the numbers are favouring defence spokesman Mr Marles.

Mr Marles is expected to be deputy to the NSW Left MP Mr Albanese, who on Wednesday refused to say whether he supported the Adani coalmine in central Queensland.

Mr Marles, a member of the Victorian Right, was savaged by Coalition MPs months before the election for declaring it would be a “good thing” for climate change action if Australia exported less coal. “The global market for ­thermal coal has collapsed, and at one level that’s a good thing because what that implies is the world is acting in relation to climate change,” he said.

The Australian revealed yesterday Mr Marles would challenge for the deputy leadership and had won early support from the NSW Right. Victorian Right MP Clare O’Neil is also considering running.

Factional sources said Bill Shorten was trying to marshall his Victorian Right backers against Mr Marles in favour of another candidate, after earlier failing to whip up sufficient support for Chris Bowen against Mr Albanese.

“It’s getting messy,” said one Victorian Right source. “Why is Bill getting involved? There is obviously some relevance deprivation. He’s like a jilted lover. He’s becoming our Tony Abbott. He needs to get off the phone.”

Queensland Right MPs are expected to back Mr Marles for the role if Mr Chalmers stands down.

This is despite Labor suffering huge swings in central Queensland because of doubt about its support of the Adani coalmine, with its primary vote down to just 27 per cent.

Queensland Labor Right MP Milton Dick told The Australian this week he wanted the next leadership team to visit mining towns in central Queensland immediately and “look people in the eye and hear their concerns”.

“We need to take a stronger and firmer view of talking about resources and the benefits they bring to our economy, not just here domestically in Queensland but across Australia,” Mr Dick said on Tuesday.

Mr Marles’s factional backer, former Labor MP Stephen Conroy, yesterday labelled Nationals senator Matt Canavan a “genius” for being able to demonise Labor in coal electorates, which won the election for Scott Morrison.

“I think Matt Canavan did a ­genius effort. He is an absolute star for the National Party. He did a ­genius effort up in northern Queensland and central Queensland in defeating us,” Mr Conroy told Sky News last night.

Mr Conroy said Mr Marles was probably leading in support from Labor Right MPs nationally.

“I think Richard is probably ahead at the moment but it is early days,” he said.

Mr Marles entered parliament in 2007, served as trade minister in the second Rudd government and was Mr Shorten’s defence spokesman.

Members of the Victorian Right say the 51-year-old has entered the race as a fresh face who was not part of the previous leadership team.

He holds the Geelong seat of Corio and was Labor’s spokesman on immigration between 2013 and 2016 before swapping that role for the defence portfolio in the last term of government.