New blood to replace Rudd-Gillard bad blood veterans

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, centre, with fellow members of Kevin Rudd’s 2007 class Bill Shorten, left, and Greg Combet, both who have quit politics. Picture: Gary Ramage

A conga line of MP retirements from the Rudd-Gillard era presents Anthony Albanese with the opportunity to rejuvenate his ministry and set Labor up for the future.

When Bill Shorten leaves parliament in February, Albanese must seize the opportunity and execute another sweeping reshuffle to elevate the new generation of Labor leaders.

After John Howard lost the 2007 election, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard ushered in a new post-Hawke-Keating line-up of fresh faces with hopes of being in power for at least a decade. Self-implosion ensured that didn’t happen and the Coalition claimed the next decade from 2013.

Key figures in the calamitous Rudd-Gillard governments, dragged down by infighting and ambition, are now on the cusp of retirement and should be encouraged to hand over the baton.

Allowing political veterans to overstay their welcome and serve in cabinet or ministry spots at their own whim is a sure-fire path to cumbersome and uninspired ­governments.

Shorten, Graham Perrett and Louise Pratt (class of 2007), Brendan O’Connor and Maria Vamvakinou (class of 2001), and Linda Burney (class of 2016) have called time at the next election. Others are expected to follow in coming weeks and months.

Albanese will want to have his team finalised by the time Shorten departs.

Competition in politics is critical. MPs who stand for nothing and have no ambition should quit the parliament. There are plenty of them in both major parties.

Labor’s factions complicate what should be a merit-based promotion system

Following Shorten’s announcement and ahead of Labor caucus meeting in Canberra next week, up-and-coming government MPs are eyeing off ministry and committee spots, and preparing for the factional dance that brings mates and enemies together for the ALP chook raffle.

The July reshuffle brought through some new talent, but mainly in junior or ‘‘envoy’’ roles.

Albanese, who turns 62 in March, is joined in cabinet by others who cut their teeth in the Rudd-Gillard years, including Richard Marles, Penny Wong, Tanya Plibersek, Chris Bowen, Tony Burke, Mark Butler, Jason Clare, Mark Dreyfus, Amanda Rishworth, Catherine King and Don Farrell.

While high performers like Wong are expected to pursue jobs outside of politics in the near future, Farrell (70), Dreyfus (who turns 68 next month), King (58) and Marles (57) show no signs of retirement.

While Albanese is focused on winning the next election, he is under pressure to future-proof the party. In the event of a hung parliament, expect the young sharks to circle.