Latest news with #VictorianRight
The Age
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
It will be all smiles at the swearing in, but there's blood on the floor
This is a sideways appointment for Plibersek and places her in a large portfolio that matters to millions of Australians. It undoes the problem of installing her in environment three years ago, but it is too late to reverse the great loss of not making her minister for women – a mission she was passionate about. Loading Murray Watt is a wise choice as minister for environment and water because he will be able to negotiate with the Greens on potential reform from a position of strength. Unlike Plibersek, he will have the emphatic election victory behind him when he negotiates. As a Queenslander and a senator, he has helped orchestrate the Labor victories over the Greens in his home state. Anne Aly is a good appointment in multicultural affairs – the first Muslim woman in cabinet – and Tim Ayres is a smart appointment in the industry portfolio. Jess Walsh, from the Victorian Left, will bring an economic focus to the early childhood portfolio. Anika Wells achieved big reforms to aged care and will have to bring that skill to communications and sport, a portfolio with intense lobbying from the media and the big sporting bodies. Watch for the rise of Daniel Mulino, from the Victorian Right, a sharp economist and a good choice for assistant treasurer. A rising member of the NSW Right, Andrew Charlton, is only an assistant minister but has a pivotal position as cabinet secretary, bringing him in on major decisions. Nobody is under any illusion about the rise of Sam Rae, the factional operator from the Victorian Right, who becomes minister for aged care despite having very little experience. But he reports to the cabinet minister in his portfolio, Mark Butler, one of the prime minister's most trusted allies. Albanese is keeping Rae in a job where he can be watched closely. The ministers who do not move from key posts – Chris Bowen in climate, Jason Clare in education, Catherine King in infrastructure, Madeleine King in resources, Clare O'Neil in housing – are all in areas where Labor got the better of the Coalition at the election. Most importantly, Albanese has broadened the responsibilities for a handful of cabinet ministers who will rise in power in this term. This is all about solid management – and learning from the rough ride of the first term. Butler adds the National Disability Insurance Scheme to his portfolios of health and aged care at cabinet level. He becomes an increasingly important cabinet minister given that health was key to the election victory. He will negotiate with the states on the NDIS, just as he does on hospitals. The Minister for the NDIS, Jenny McAllister, was a strong minister for emergency management; the response to Cyclone Alfred was part of Labor's political recovery this year. Another minister also increases his sway. Tony Burke moved from workplace relations to home affairs when Labor was reeling from the High Court decision on indefinite detention. He brought that mess under control and now gains greater power with responsibility for ASIO and the Australian Federal Police. Labor has learned that it needs to be vigilant on domestic security and immigration. Loading The core leadership team remains solid: Richard Marles as deputy prime minister and defence minister, Penny Wong in foreign affairs, Jim Chalmers in treasury, Katy Gallagher in finance and Don Farrell in trade. Governments tend to centralise as they grow older, so there will be friction about this inner sanctum. Marles has made enemies, especially in the NSW Right, from the removal of Dreyfus and Husic. This means the dynamics of the cabinet will change. It will be chillier rather than cheerier. There will be smiles for the cameras when the ministers are sworn into office at Government House on Tuesday, but everyone will remember the blood on the floor of the caucus room. This new ministry has been an unsentimental exercise in factional power. At the top, this Labor cabinet is all about a handful of power players and the patronage they wield in their factions and their states. More so than in the last term, they will be a team of rivals. The mystery is how often they will cooperate and how often they will compete.
Sydney Morning Herald
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
It will be all smiles at the swearing in, but there's blood on the floor
This is a sideways appointment for Plibersek and places her in a large portfolio that matters to millions of Australians. It undoes the problem of installing her in environment three years ago, but it is too late to reverse the great loss of not making her minister for women – a mission she was passionate about. Loading Murray Watt is a wise choice as minister for environment and water because he will be able to negotiate with the Greens on potential reform from a position of strength. Unlike Plibersek, he will have the emphatic election victory behind him when he negotiates. As a Queenslander and a senator, he has helped orchestrate the Labor victories over the Greens in his home state. Anne Aly is a good appointment in multicultural affairs – the first Muslim woman in cabinet – and Tim Ayres is a smart appointment in the industry portfolio. Jess Walsh, from the Victorian Left, will bring an economic focus to the early childhood portfolio. Anika Wells achieved big reforms to aged care and will have to bring that skill to communications and sport, a portfolio with intense lobbying from the media and the big sporting bodies. Watch for the rise of Daniel Mulino, from the Victorian Right, a sharp economist and a good choice for assistant treasurer. A rising member of the NSW Right, Andrew Charlton, is only an assistant minister but has a pivotal position as cabinet secretary, bringing him in on major decisions. Nobody is under any illusion about the rise of Sam Rae, the factional operator from the Victorian Right, who becomes minister for aged care despite having very little experience. But he reports to the cabinet minister in his portfolio, Mark Butler, one of the prime minister's most trusted allies. Albanese is keeping Rae in a job where he can be watched closely. The ministers who do not move from key posts – Chris Bowen in climate, Jason Clare in education, Catherine King in infrastructure, Madeleine King in resources, Clare O'Neil in housing – are all in areas where Labor got the better of the Coalition at the election. Most importantly, Albanese has broadened the responsibilities for a handful of cabinet ministers who will rise in power in this term. This is all about solid management – and learning from the rough ride of the first term. Butler adds the National Disability Insurance Scheme to his portfolios of health and aged care at cabinet level. He becomes an increasingly important cabinet minister given that health was key to the election victory. He will negotiate with the states on the NDIS, just as he does on hospitals. The Minister for the NDIS, Jenny McAllister, was a strong minister for emergency management; the response to Cyclone Alfred was part of Labor's political recovery this year. Another minister also increases his sway. Tony Burke moved from workplace relations to home affairs when Labor was reeling from the High Court decision on indefinite detention. He brought that mess under control and now gains greater power with responsibility for ASIO and the Australian Federal Police. Labor has learned that it needs to be vigilant on domestic security and immigration. Loading The core leadership team remains solid: Richard Marles as deputy prime minister and defence minister, Penny Wong in foreign affairs, Jim Chalmers in treasury, Katy Gallagher in finance and Don Farrell in trade. Governments tend to centralise as they grow older, so there will be friction about this inner sanctum. Marles has made enemies, especially in the NSW Right, from the removal of Dreyfus and Husic. This means the dynamics of the cabinet will change. It will be chillier rather than cheerier. There will be smiles for the cameras when the ministers are sworn into office at Government House on Tuesday, but everyone will remember the blood on the floor of the caucus room. This new ministry has been an unsentimental exercise in factional power. At the top, this Labor cabinet is all about a handful of power players and the patronage they wield in their factions and their states. More so than in the last term, they will be a team of rivals. The mystery is how often they will cooperate and how often they will compete.
Sky News AU
12-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
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.
The Age
11-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Marles a ‘factional assassin', Husic says in attack following factional coup
Dumped Labor minister Ed Husic has launched a sensational attack on Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, describing him as a 'factional assassin' whose decision to get rid of two ministers compromised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's election victory. Husic also claimed the government had been 'shackled' by a timid approach on policy and said his removal as a cabinet minister was carried out partly as retaliation for his outspoken pro-Palestinian advocacy. The member for the Sydney seat of Chifley made the remarks in an ABC Insiders interview on Sunday morning that was scheduled before Husic learnt in the middle of last week that he would lose his position in the ministry. The Victorian Right faction led by Marles was underrepresented in the cabinet and it was entitled to two new spots, for MPs Sam Rae and Daniel Mulino, meaning Husic, from the NSW Right, and attorney-general Mark Dreyfus were forced to make away. 'We've had bare faced ambition and a deputy prime minister wield a factional club to reshape the ministry,' Husic said, in one of the most striking displays of disunity in the life of the Albanese government. Loading 'I think people when they look at a deputy prime minister, they expect to see a statesman, not a factional assassin.' Husic said the prime minister should have stopped Marles, and that the factional coup had hurt the image of the newly elected Labor government. 'I just feel for the supporters of our party, who went from the high of a Saturday and a terrific and tremendous win… I just feel like it's been a distraction at the start of what'll be a successful second term,' he said, urging Albanese to 'burn through the timidity that shackled us' in its first term.
Sydney Morning Herald
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Marles a ‘factional assassin', Husic says in attack following factional coup
Dumped Labor minister Ed Husic has launched a sensational attack on Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, describing him as a 'factional assassin' whose decision to get rid of two ministers compromised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's election victory. Husic also claimed the government had been 'shackled' by a timid approach on policy and said his removal as a cabinet minister was carried out partly as retaliation for his outspoken pro-Palestinian advocacy. The member for the Sydney seat of Chifley made the remarks in an ABC Insiders interview on Sunday morning that was scheduled before Husic learnt in the middle of last week that he would lose his position in the ministry. The Victorian Right faction led by Marles was underrepresented in the cabinet and it was entitled to two new spots, for MPs Sam Rae and Daniel Mulino, meaning Husic, from the NSW Right, and attorney-general Mark Dreyfus were forced to make away. 'We've had bare faced ambition and a deputy prime minister wield a factional club to reshape the ministry,' Husic said, in one of the most striking displays of disunity in the life of the Albanese government. Loading 'I think people when they look at a deputy prime minister, they expect to see a statesman, not a factional assassin.' Husic said the prime minister should have stopped Marles, and that the factional coup had hurt the image of the newly elected Labor government. 'I just feel for the supporters of our party, who went from the high of a Saturday and a terrific and tremendous win… I just feel like it's been a distraction at the start of what'll be a successful second term,' he said, urging Albanese to 'burn through the timidity that shackled us' in its first term.
