Richard Marles denies ‘blood on his hands’ after brutal ministerial oustings

Richard Marles chose to deliver his first press conference since his party’s factional bloodletting not in front of the Canberra press gallery, but before a handful of journalists in WA.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles at the ministry swearing-in ceremony. Picture: Martin Ollman / NewsWire

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Acting Prime Minister and “factional assassin” Richard Marles has distanced himself from the ministerial axings of Mark Dreyfus and Ed Husic, describing their demotions as the result of a ­“collective process”.

Mr Marles, who has been singled out for the decisions to remove Mr Dreyfus from his role as attorney-general and Mr Husic from the industry and science portfolios, on Thursday chose to deliver his first press conference since the factional bloodletting not in front of the Canberra press gallery but before a handful of journalists at an urgent care clinic in Perth’s northernmost suburbs.

Mr Husic at the weekend publicly hit out at Mr Marles over the Deputy Prime Minister’s role in his ousting, labelling him a “factional assassin” and warning that his moves would foster disharmony within the Labor caucus.

“I think when people look at a Deputy Prime Minister, they expect to see a statesman, not a factional assassin,” Mr Husic said on Sunday.

Former Labor cabinet minister Ed Husic on ABC Insiders on Sunday. Picture: ABC

Labor sources have sheeted home blame for the decisions to Mr Marles, who as the head of the Victorian Right faction reportedly wanted fellow Victorian Right MPs Sam Rae and Daniel Mulino promoted into cabinet. That insistence ultimately saw Mr Dreyfus and Mr Husic squeezed out.

Mr Marles repeatedly refused to be drawn on his role in the demotions and denied having “blood on his hands”. “It is a collective process,” he said.

“One of the challenges we have, but it’s a good challenge, is that we have a caucus which is filled with talented people and there are so many people who would be able to admirably perform the role of ministers who are not ministers.”

Asked if the ministerial jostling could trigger disunity within Labor, Mr Marles said “the short answer to the question is no”.

“What has characterised our government from the moment that we have been elected, back in 2022, is an enormous amount of stability,” he said. “Indeed what has characterised Anthony Albanese’s leadership of the Labor Party going back to 2019 is an incredible stability, and I know that that will continue.”

Mark Dreyfus. Picture: Martin Ollman/NewsWire

The demotions of Mr Dreyfus and Mr Husic removed the only Jewish and Muslim members of cabinet. Mr Dreyfus was also the last silk in the federal parliament.

There are growing expectations that Mr Dreyfus may retire from politics in the wake of his demotion, but Mr Marles said he would not speculate on the former attorney-general’s future.

“All I would say is I very much acknowledge the service that Mark has provided. He has every reason to feel very proud of the service that he has provided,” he said.

He shrugged off suggestions that his backing of Mr Rae and Mr Mulino was part of an effort to shore up his position in any future leadership push.