In a ministerial line-up otherwise widely praised for its freshness and diversity, this was Anthony Albanese’s one controversial move.
There’s nothing like a ministerial reshuffle to expose what an unpredictable and unforgiving game of snakes and ladders politics can be. As a prime example, look no further than Tanya Plibersek.
Keen eyes noticed she’d also been stripped of the women’s portfolio, another of her responsibilities in opposition, which has been handed to finance minister and close Albanese ally Katy Gallagher. Jason Clare, one of the party’s stars during the election campaign, has emerged with the prize of education.
Albanese has left himself open to the impression that he is clipping the wings of a one-time potential leadership rival. “One of the big messages from the election is that Australians want to see more action on the environment and climate change – I couldn’t be more excited to play a part in leading that work for the new Labor government.”
“One of the big messages from the election is that Australians want to see more action on the environment and climate change.”Just how much of a role Plibersek will have in shaping the government’s climate change responses is debatable, given Chris Bowen retains primary carriage of this in his capacity as climate change and energy minister. She and Bowen will be sharing a newly merged department, to be known as the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water.
This was widely seen in the party as a boost to Shorten’s campaign. In the subsequent ballot, Albanese won the popular party vote but Shorten narrowly prevailed with more votes in the caucus, including some who defected to his camp from the left.