Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek’s rift explained after Labor launch air kiss

After Anthony Albanese’s awkward hug snub of Tanya Plibersek, their dislike for each other was laid bare. But the PM still has a place for her in a future government.

Anthony Albanese has finally guaranteed a “senior cabinet” position for his factional sparring partner Tanya Plibersek.

When asked on Tuesday why he previously hadn’t guaranteed the current environment minister would remain in her role — compared to other senior ministers like Penny Wong, Richard Marles and Jim Chalmers — Mr Albanese eventually said Ms Plibersek would have a senior role if he wins the election.

“The four leaders get the opportunity to have a direct say in what their portfolios are. So, the four leaders — and there is a market reason why economic ministers would be maintained,” he said.

“Apart from that, when I’ve been asked about anyone else, I’ve given the same answer.

“I expect Tanya Plibersek will be a senior cabinet minister. She’s an important member of my team. But I’m not getting ahead of myself and naming all 22 or all – actually, all 42 portfolios – on the frontbench.

Anthony Albanese resists a hug from Tanya Plibersek at Labor’s campaign launch in Perth. Picture: Jason Edwards

“I’m not getting into that. She’ll be treated exactly as everyone else.

But, Tanya Plibersek will play an important role in my government. She’ll be a senior cabinet minister, as she’s continued to be.”

The awkward hug

It comes after Mr Albanese awkwardly snubbed Tanya Plibersek’s attempt at a hug at his official campaign launch on Sunday.

Few inside the Labor machinery were surprised: the pair’s dislike of each other is well known by their colleagues and has been on full-display in the final months of Labor’s first term but is a lot more historical than that.

At the campaign rally on Sunday, Mr Albanese rejected a hug from his Environment Minister by grabbing both her hands instead.

His fiance, Jodie Haydon, was more gracious going in for a hug.

On Sunrise, Ms Plibersek awkwardly tried to brush off the encounter saying she should have gone for an elbow bump instead.

“Do you know, what I reckon we should all still be elbow bumping because during an election campaign, the last thing you want is to catch a cold,” she said on Sunrise.

“So that’s on me – I should have done the elbow bump.”

Salmon farming legislation

In March, there was renewed focus on their working relationship when contentious salmon farming legislation was introduced in parliament.

Coalition sources claimed negotiations on the salmon farming bill were done with Patrick Gorman instead of Ms Plibersek.

Mr Albanese had undermined his minister by rushing through laws to protect Tasmania’s salmon farming industry from an environmental challenge.

In February, he also directly wrote to the salmon farming industry to confirm that new laws were being introduced to protect their industry.

Nature positive laws

Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek in 2024. Picture: AFP

It wasn’t the first time that Mr Albanese had undermined Ms Plibersek.

In late 2024, Mr Albanese scuttled a deal struck between Ms Plibersek and the Greens to bring in a new environmental watchdog which would include a controversial climate trigger.

Some Labor sources said Mr Albanese’s move was disrespectful of his environment minister but others maintain Mr Albanese’s job was to think of the broader government and not just one portfolio.

During the election campaign, Mr Albanese said the original proposal from Ms Plibersek was “off the table” but Labor was committed to environmental protection laws and would need to “get it right”.

2022 campaign

Tanya Plibersek was entirely absent from Labor’s 2022 campaign launch. Picture: Gary Ramage

The snub on the 2025 campaign launch pales in comparison to 2022 when Ms Plibersek was entirely absent from the event held in Perth.

Although she attended other campaign events, she was far from getting a leading role in Ms Albanese’s pitch for The Lodge.

She has argued this was not the case and she attended more than 70 media appearances.

Leadership aspirations

The pair’s prickly relationship can be boiled down to Ms Plibersek holding leadership aspirations and tacitly supporting Bill Shorten’s leadership run in 2013.

At the time she explicitly supported Mr Albanese but left the door open to being Mr Shorten’s deputy if he won the leadership.

That outcome eventuated and soured her relationship with Mr Albanese despite both publicly maintaining they are good friends.

In 2023, Ms Plibersek also revealed she had the numbers to take over the leadership of the Labor Party in 2019 over Anthony Albanese but chose not to do so because of family reasons.

Ms Plibersek said she would have won the leadership after Mr Shorten’s shock defeat against Scott Morrison but did not because she wished to support her daughter Anna through an abusive relationship.

Poisoned chalice

Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese during Question Time. Picture: Martin Ollman

Anthony Albanese’s decision to also dump Ms Plibersek from her more high profile portfolios of education and women and making her Environment Minister when Labor came to power in 2022 was also considered a loaded move.

Environment is a challenging portfolio and Mr Albanese has repeatedly undermined her in it.

That will be a challenge in Ms Plibersek’s electorate of Sydney which has a young, climate-focused demographic.

Originally published as Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek’s rift explained after Labor launch air kiss