Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces new frontbench amid factional infighting after the federal election
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is announcing his new cabinet, promoting fresh faces and ousting established players after factional infighting.
The top six ministers will remain—Richard Marles in Defence, Penny Wong in Foreign Affairs, Jim Chalmers as Treasurer, Katy Gallagher in Finance and Don Farrell in Trade.
The reshuffle follows factional tensions, with senior Labor figures Ed Husic and Mark Dreyfus dumped from the ministry after internal caucus votes.
The ousted industry minister, Ed Husic, has since accused the Deputy Prime Minister of acting as a 'factional assassin' in the post-election reshuffle.
'I think when people look at a deputy prime minister, they expect to see a statesman, not a factional assassin,' Mr Husic told ABC's Insiders on Sunday.
'There will be a lot of questions put to Richard about his role. And that's something that he will have to answer and account for.'
The former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus was also ousted by the Victorian Right, led by Mr Marles, as he was replaced by Hawke MP Sam Rae.
Mr Dreyfus, also from the Victorian Right, reportedly tried for several days to contact Mr Marles to confirm his position.
Mr Marles did not contact Mr Dreyfus until it was too late, when he told him of his dismissal from the attorney-general position, according to reports.
Parliament will not return until after Mr Albanese travels to Canada and the United States in mid-June, according to sources.
More to come.
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