Labor brawl over cabinet positions begins, Deputy PM Richard Marles under fire
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles’ role in the political execution of two cabinet ministers from his own faction has enraged Labor MPs.
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Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles’ role in the political execution of two cabinet ministers from his own faction has enraged Labor MPs.
Furious MPs have slammed Mr Marles’ failure to fight for the cabinet spots of two Labor MPs - Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Science Minister Ed Husic - in his own Right faction.
“He shot two cabinet ministers today and carried out their bodies,’’ a Labor MP told news.com.au.
“Who was the last person to do that?”
The Victorian powerbroker has agreed to a new factional carve up that will make way for the promotion of his closest allies including the little-known Sam Rae and Danile Mulino from the backbench.
Keating tears strips off Albo
Former Prime Minister Paul Keating has also weighed in on the decision to dump Mr Dreyfus and Mr Husic, Australia’s only Muslim MP, from cabinet, slamming it as a “captain’s call” that shows “poor judgement and unfairness.”
In an extraordinary intervention into the post-election factional brawl, Mr Keating released a blistering statement.
“As the cabinet’s sole Muslim member, his expulsion from the ministry proffers contempt for the measured and centrist support provided by the broader Muslim community to the Labor Party at the general election,’’ Mr Keating said.
“And for what, to keep up some notional proportional count between the factions and elements of the right of the party, between states, in this case, between representatives of New South Wales and Victoria?
“The Prime Minister has recently made notable captain’s calls in a number of otherwise rules based preselection ballots.
His non intervention in respect of a New South Wales minister on this occasion is in effect, an endorsement of the representative of another state group, in this case, the Victorian Right faction led by Richard Marles, a faction demonstrably devoid of creativity and capacity.
“And to round out the day, the factional lightweights also dumped the cabinet’s most effective and significant Jewish member, the attorney general Mark Dreyfus, a showing of poor judgment, unfairness and diminished respect for the contribution of others.”
The Victorian Right now has just two cabinet ministers - Defence Minister Richard Marles and Housing Minister Clare O’Neil.
Labor sources said that Mr Marles rang Mr Dreyfus last night. As leader of the Victorian Right, he may have been expected to play an advocacy role for Mr Dreyfus, who lost his wife to cancer in the first term.
“Marles rang last night to tell him. He never fought for or negotiated for Mark,’’ a Labor source said.
“He ambushed him. It’s clear he was always planning to replace him with his mate.”
Tears as Albo’s axe falls on two frontbenchers
Anthony Albanese is wielding the axe in his ministry and will not intervene to stop the dumping of two ministers, Mr Husic and Mr Dreyfus, as a result of factional deals.
Science Minister Ed Husic informed tearful staff in his Canberra office today that he had been informed by the Right faction that he would be dumped to make way for others.
Both men are being dumped to make way for fresh blood – Former Victorian ALP secretary Sam Rae who is an ally of Deputy PM Richard Marles and Victorian MP Daniel Mulino.
The political executions of two respected ministers had sounded “a sour note” according to supporters after Mr Albanese’s historic victory.
Mr Husic is the only Muslim on Labor’s frontbench and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is the only Jewish MP on Labor’s frontbench.
News.com.au understands the reshuffle will elevate the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Anne Aly, into cabinet.
She is the first federal female parliamentarian of Islamic faith and the first of two government ministers to be Muslim.
Labor MPs were scathing however of the brutality of the post-election reshuffle with one describing the factional powerbrokers as “sociopaths.”
“Albanese has unfettered power now,’’ a Labor source said.
“He could have used that power (to protect frontbenchers) and he didn’t.
“Sam Rae is Richard Marles’ numbers man.”
Arriving in Canberra on Thursday afternoon, Treasurer Jim Chalmers made a point of saying that former deputy leader Tanya Plibersek should remain on the frontbench.
“Tanya Plibersek is an outstanding senior minister,” Mr Chalmers said. “I’ve got absolutely no doubt that she’ll remain a senior minister.”
He added there was a lot of talent in Labor’s ranks.
“We’ve got probably 50 or 60 people who’ve got a legitimate claim to be part of the 30 ministers,’’ he said.
Ms Plibersek refused to be drawn on her fate.
“I’m not going to talk about portfolios. There’s a process for all of that. We’re just going through that right now,’’ she said.
Speaking on Sky News, Mr Albanese offered a message to his caucus.
“Government brings with it responsibility and no individual is
greater than the collective,’’ he said.
“We need to approach this term with humility, but also that we operate in a way which shows solidarity.”
News.com.au understands that South Australian powerbroker Don Farrell backed the push by the Victorian Right faction to obtain four ministry spots.
Labor sources told news.com.au that Mr Husic will “have his say” on the dumping this Sunday when he appears on ABC’s Insiders.
Shocked supporters pointed out that Mr Albanese had been happy to intervene in the past to support Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher.
“We’re going to try and slow the pace a little bit over coming days, [but] I will consult with colleagues about forming a frontbench down the track,” he told reporters.
The jostling to fill the cabinet positions follows the departures of Bill Shorten and Stephen Jones.
Mr Jones’s assistant treasurer role is up for grabs as is the NDIS portfolio, amid speculation that could be given to Tanya Plibersek.
“The only person who knows is me. If you hear something, unless you hear it come out of my mouth, it’s nonsense,” Mr Albanese said.
More to come …
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