Anthony Albanese has dumped Tanya Plibersek from her environment portfolio as part of a shake-up of his ministry.
The prime minister played down internal divisions following Labor’s landslide election victory as he promoted close ally Tim Ayres to cabinet and elevated Anne Aly from the outer ministry.
Plibersek, who has a frosty relationship with Albanese despite being one of Labor’s most senior women, has been shifted to social services.
The writing had been on the wall after Albanese went over the top of Plibersek to dump environmental laws after lobbying from West Australian stakeholders.
Michelle Rowland becomes the attorney-general after Mark Dreyfus was knifed by his right faction in a power play by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles.
Murray Watt takes over as environment minister, with Amanda Rishworth assuming the employment and workplace relations portfolio.
“Murray is an outstanding performer as a minister. I regard the environment as a really central portfolio,” Albanese said.
He retained his frontline team of Defence Minister Marles, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Trade Minister Don Farrell.
Other ministers keeping their portfolios include Malarndirri McCarthy (Indigenous Australians), Tony Burke (home affairs), Mark Butler (health), Chris Bowen (energy), Jason Clare (education) and Clare O’Neil (housing).
Madeleine King kept resources, Catherine King infrastructure, Pat Conroy defence industry and Pacific affairs and Julie Collins agriculture.
Anika Wells takes on the communications portfolio alongside sport, meaning she will take carriage of the contentious gambling advertising restriction policy Labor shelved before the election.
Dr Aly’s promotion reflects a greater focus on WA after the state helped deliver Labor government for the second consecutive federal election.
She is the sole Muslim MP in the senior leadership team after Ed Husic also fell victim to internal warfare, branding Marles a “factional assassin” on the way out.
Senator Ayres took Husic’s science and industry portfolios, while Jess Walsh (early childhood education), Daniel Mulino (assistant treasurer) and Sam Rae (aged care and seniors) also entered the 30-person ministry.
The ministry will be sworn in at Government House on Tuesday.
The refreshed leadership team will sink its teeth into Labor’s second-term policy agenda with parliament set to resume in July.
Legislation cutting student debt by 20 per cent shapes as the first cab off the rank.
Husic’s demotion has been criticised by Muslim community groups and Labor luminary and former prime minister Paul Keating.
Albanese defended not intervening, saying Labor’s caucus processes were not new.
Ministry appointments are based on faction and state proportions.
“That is the system that is there,” Albanese said.
“It’s one that Ed and others have supported for a long period of time.”
Source: AAP
