Tanya Plibersek: ‘I don’t like or respect Scott Morrison’

The woman considered a possible replacement for Anthony Albanese has launched a personal attack against the PM.

Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek at Gladstone Park in Balmain, Sydney. Picture: Adam Yip

Tanya Plibersek – considered a possible replacement for Anthony Albanese as Labor leader – has launched a personal attack against Scott Morrison, saying he’s a man she neither respects nor likes.

Asked on Sky News what she thought about the Prime Minister at a personal level, Ms Plibersek responded: “He’s a clever politician and will do anything to stay Prime Minister.

“There’s a lot of people on the other side of politics that I like and respect, he’s not one of them.

“I actually don’t think it’s that productive to talk about personalities, I’d much rather talk about where we’re going as a country under Scott Morrison’s leadership.”

The opposition’s education spokeswoman and former deputy leader under Bill Shorten also insisted Mr Morrison was “beatable” at the next federal election, due as early as August, and that Anthony Albanese can win.

“At the moment of course incumbent governments around Australia and globally are doing pretty well in a time of crisis, that’s a natural response. But Scott Morrison has … got a number of real weaknesses both in how he’s handled this pandemic and the lack of vision he has for Australia,” Ms Plibersek said.

The Opposition Leader has been under pressure in recent months after Joel Fitzgibbon quit the frontbench in November and warned the party was failing to win back blue-collar voters who deserted Mr Shorten at the last election.

Tanya Plibersek with Anthony Albanese during Question Time. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Ms Plibersek refused to say if she would run for the party’s leadership if Mr Albanese lost the next election or if she had a “burning desire” to become prime minister.

She is considered as one of the most likely alternatives to the Labor leader if there is a change before the election, though most opposition MPs are backing Mr Albanese to stay in the job despite rumblings over his performance.

“I’m not going to start talking about myself or the Labor Party when we’re in the middle of a pandemic-inspired economic crisis. That should be the focus of every member of parliament,” Ms Plibersek said. “That’s our job, looking after people, not thinking about ourselves.”