Labor faction fight over cabinet positions

Closed-door discussions under way between faction bosses on the makeup of the ministry which is likely to include more women, West Australians and MPs from the Left.

Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Monday. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

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Anthony Albanese is making headway on realising his ambition to make Labor the natural party of federal government, as closed-door discussions are under way between faction bosses on the makeup of the ministry which is likely to include more women, West Australians and MPs from the Left.

In his first press conference following a landslide election win on Saturday, the Prime Minister said he was “deeply humbled” by the victory and would “not get carried away” with the thumping majority by implementing policies inconsistent with election promises.

But he left the door open to delivering an agenda over-and-above what was taken to the poll, arguing this is what his government did in its first term.

“The thing that I reject is the idea that we haven’t been ambitious,” he said.

“Look at our agenda on the clean energy economy, on childcare, on gender equality, on education, where we went beyond where we said we would.

“I didn’t promise to deliver surpluses, we delivered two.”

Mr Albanese did not rule out further tax reform or changes to the superannuation system.

“We’re not getting ahead of ourselves,” he said.

Mr Albanese said the “very clear” second-term mandate was part of his long-term aim of making Labor the natural party of federal government.

He said a key part of his leadership this parliamentary term would be treating people with respect, including Coalition MPs, crossbenchers and journalists.

“We’re going to try and slow the pace a little bit,” he said.

The ministry is expected to be finalised by next week and parliament to return in June, with the first priority legislating a 20 per cent cut to student fees.

Labor’s federal caucus will for the first time have a majority of MPs from the Left, driven by increased representation in the grouping from new MPs in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia.

Right faction MPs are concerned the push for a pro-business and pro-productivity agenda could be difficult given how left-wing the caucus is.

Labor sources said the two ministerial vacancies from retiring MPs would likely be filled by the Left, increasing representation from the faction to 15 out of 30.

At least one of the spots would need to be filled by a woman, with the party set to increase female ministerial representation to 50 per cent after the election of 14 more women into caucus.

Two options for promotions include new Lyons MP and former Tasmanian opposition leader Rebecca White and Victorian Left MP Ged Kearney, who served as assistant health minister in the last term.

The Australian understands there is appetite to increase representation from WA, paving the way for a promotion for Patrick Gorman.

There is also support within the Left for a promotion for NSW senator Tim Ayres.

However, Labor sources stress that the massive election win has given Mr Albanese so much authority that he will have the final call on who is in the ministry.

Victorian Right figures are concerned the factional group will be dudded under a ministerial deal, given one of the two ministerial vacancies was supposed to be filled from within the faction after the retirement of Bill Shorten.

Victorian sources are arguing the new Left spot should instead be instead filled by dumping a male cabinet minister from the NSW Right, although this would be difficult given the seniority of Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, Industry Minister Ed Husic, Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Education Minister Jason Clare.

There may be an elevated role for Housing Minister Clare O’Neil, while NSW Right MP Andrew Charlton could be given an economic role in the assistant ministry.

Under Labor’s conventions, the ministry is proportionate to the number of MPs in each faction and state.