Faction friction: Labor’s ascendant Left eyes its ministry rights

Labor’s Left faction is expected to have a majority of MPs in federal caucus for the first time, raising the power and influence of the once minority grouping despite Anthony Albanese vowing to govern from the centre.

Anthony Albanese samples ice cream in Sydney on Sunday after securing a historic second term as Prime Minister. Picture: Getty Images

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Labor’s Left faction is expected to have a majority of MPs in federal caucus for the first time, raising the power and influence of the once minority grouping despite Anthony Albanese vowing to govern from the centre.

Left and Right powerbrokers told The Australian on Sunday that it was likely the Prime Minister’s faction would be dominant in Canberra, with a string of left-wing candidates being successful in Queensland and Tasmania.

Labor will win at least six lower house seats in Queensland and is ahead in a further two, with all but one of these being aligned to the Left.

The three new lower house MPs for Labor in Tasmania are from the Left faction.

The powerbrokers from both sides said the likely numbers would give the Left the right to demand 50-50 representation in the ministry, up from holding 14 out of 30 spots under the Albanese government’s first term.

One Left faction source cautioned that the final outcome would depend on how some of the close seats fell, noting, for example, that West Australian Left MP Josh Wilson was on track to lose the seat of Fremantle to an independent, Kate Hulett, and there were two seats still in doubt in Queensland.

But a WA source noted that the new Moore MP, Tom French, was from the Left and the faction would be better represented from the state in the Senate, offsetting any loss of Mr Wilson.

While there is a Right faction vacancy to be filled in the ministry after the retirement of Bill Shorten, the issue threatens an internal stoush as Victorian sources argue there should instead be a minister demoted from the NSW Right.

Labor sources said NSW Right men were oversubscribed in cabinet compared with the faction’s numbers in caucus, but immediately moving one of them aside would not be easy, given the seniority of Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, Industry Minister Ed Husic, Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Education Minister Jason Clare.

Senior Labor sources said the Prime Minister may choose to prevail upon the Left to accept fewer ministerial positions in the short term, given his preference for minimal changes under his new team.

Under this scenario, the Left would likely gain a position in the ministry over time amid expectations that some Rudd and Gillard-era ministers will retire at the next election.

Mr Albanese has guaranteed he will maintain the positions of Jim Chalmers, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Trade Minister Don Farrell, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles.

He would not guarantee keeping Left faction rival Tanya Plibersek in the environment portfolio.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Picture: Annette Dew

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. Picture: Damian Shaw

Under Labor’s conventions, the ministry is proportionate to the number of MPs in each faction and state, while there are affirmative action rules to ensure each grouping is promoting women.

A senior Labor source said Mr Albanese’s obsession with unity would likely see people “punished” if they were caught talking about ministerial positions.

The source said there could be up to three changes to the ministry but doubted there would be wholesale changes.

A Left majority in caucus would complete the faction’s takeover of Labor, diminishing the influence of the once mighty Right faction that produced Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd.

The Left gained control of the national conference floor in 2023 for the first time in 70 years, with the faction dominant in most states.

The Right traditionally dominated power structures within Labor but the tables have turned since Mr Albanese became Labor leader in 2019.

Senate leader Penny Wong and ALP national secretary Paul Erickson are from the Left, with the faction having a majority of members on the powerful national executive.

A number of former Right faction unions have defected to the Left over the past few years, including the National Union of Workers in Victoria and the Electrical Trades Union in NSW.

Labor sources played down the significance of the Left’s likely dominance of caucus, arguing that there would be little change to the party’s defence and economic policies.

However, some MPs expect there to be more pressure to act on social issues such as treaty and truth, as well as gender issues.