Federal election: Anthony Albanese to shuffle frontbench in wake of victory

Kristina Keneally and Brendan O’Connor have been tipped to move out of the Home Affairs and Defence portfolios if Labor wins the election.

Anthony Albanese in Brisbane on Wednesday. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Kristina Keneally and Brendan O’Connor have been tipped to move out of the Home Affairs and Defence portfolios after the May federal election, with Anthony Albanese expected to tweak his Cabinet line-up if Labor wins.

Senator Keneally, installed as Labor’s candidate in the safe Sydney seat of Fowler following a messy Senate preselection battle, is likely to shift into a high-profile frontline economic portfolio.

After failing at the 2017 Bennelong by-election to move into the lower house, the ambitious former NSW premier is expected to comfortably win Fowler, which was vacated by retiring Labor MP Chris Hayes.

Labor, national security and diplomatic sources said they understood a shakeup of national security portfolios was on the cards, including moving cyber security into cabinet, with Mr Albanese seeking to achieve the “right balance” across his senior team.

Anthony Albanese with Kristina Keneally.

Mr Albanese’s office on Wednesday would not comment on whether he intended to keep the same team in place after the election but a senior Labor source told The Australian that “none of us are getting ahead of ourselves”.

In last year’s shadow cabinet reshuffle, Labor deputy leader Richard Marles moved out of Defence after 4½ years into a newly created super portfolio including national reconstruction, employment, skills and small business.

With national security emerging as a key political battleground amid unprecedented geostrategic competition in the Indo-Pacific, Mr Marles is considered to have the experience and “hawkish credentials” to lead Labor’s Defence agenda.

Since taking over as opposition home affairs and immigration spokeswoman following the 2019 election, Senator Keneally has led Labor attacks on the Coalition over its indefinite detention of the Murugappan family, politicisation of national security, handling of the Novak Djokovic visa and rising numbers of asylum seekers arriving by plane.

Labor’s deputy leader in the Senate, whose entry into the shadow cabinet was fast-tracked by Mr Albanese, took on additional responsibilities in January last year after being appointed opposition spokeswoman for government accountability.

Labor sources said Senator Keneally would represent one of Australia’s most multicultural seats if she wins Fowler.

“Home Affairs is important. It will be given top priority. Kristina has very publicly said she is happy to serve in the role. But there will be consideration as to where she best benefits a Labor government,” a senior source said.

Brendan OÕConnor in Townsville. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Despite Mr Albanese and Mr O’Connor, 60, not being close, senior Labor figures have been pleased with the Victorian MPs’ performance in the Defence portfolio. But it is understood to be increasingly likely Mr Marles could reclaim the job given the importance of the AUKUS agreement and nuclear submarine program.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has attacked both Senator Keneally and Mr O’Connor in recent months as part of the Coalition’s strategy to paint Labor as being “weak on national security”. Mr Albanese is understood to be cognisant of ensuring a strong national security team and bipartisan positions on major defence and national security policy.

Labor and the Coalition face generational renewal in senior ranks next term, with seven shadow cabinet and cabinet members aged over 60. The youngest members in cabinet positions across both parties are Amanda Rishworth, 43, Jim Chalmers, 44 and Terri Butler, 44; Alex Hawke, 44, David Littleproud, 45, and Simon Birmingham, 47.

Labor and Coalition sources said that in the event of an election defeat, the losing party would experience considerable turnover in senior positions and the early retirements of some veteran MPs and senators.