When Labor was first elected in 2022,Anthony Albanesepledged to lead a proper cabinet government, with longstanding practices restored and ministers empowered to run their portfolios.
The moves were necessary. Labor was replacing an often chaotic Coalition government, and Albanese had to oversee legal changes stemming from the secret ministries saga – in which Scott Morrison ran roughshod over more than 100 years of constitutional practice and tradition.
Despite Labor’s massive victory, Monday’s cabinet reshuffle was overshadowed in part by factional ruthlessness and the ouster of longtime frontbenchers Mark Dreyfus and Ed Husic.
But the prime minister’s refreshed line up highlights his desire to make Labor the natural party of government in Australia.
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Roughly measured, Labor’s new frontbench includes four important elements.
First, are the central six ministers, all left untouched. They include Albanese himself; his deputy and defence minister, Richard Marles; the treasurer, Jim Chalmers; the finance minister, Katy Gallagher; the foreign minister, Penny Wong; and the trade minister, Don Farrell.
Second, are the major changes. Michelle Rowland moves from communications to replace Dreyfus as the attorney general, and well-regarded assistant minister Tim Ayres shifts into cabinet to replace Husic in industry. Anika Wells gains communications, while Amanda Rishworth takes on industrial relations. Anne Aly gets small business.
The third element is new blood. The Yale-educated economist Daniel Mulino replaces Stephen Jones as assistant treasurer, an unsexy job but one with important clout over the tax office and financial services functions, including the superannuation system. Victorian Jess Walsh takes early childhood education, and Andrew Charlton becomes cabinet secretary. Jenny McAllister – one of the clear talents of Labor’s expanded caucus – will be the NDIS minister, working with Mark Butler to trim vast budget growth and move childhood autism services back to the states and territories.
The fourth is the politics for Labor, within and without.
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Albanese has shiftedTanya Plibersekfor a second time, moving her from environment to social services. It follows his move to scuttle her deal with the Greens on major environmental reforms last year, and persistent questions about her position during the election campaign. It is a portfolio of huge importance, and Plibersek will welcome responsibility for dealing with the country’s growing domestic violence crisis.
Murray Watt takes on environment. The Queensland senator oversaw the implementation of Labor’s contentious live animal exports ban as agriculture minister, proving he can handle tough vested interests on behalf of the government. Coming from a resources state, he now has carriage of building a new model for the delayed “nature positive” laws and establishing an environmental protection agency. Both could be significant political obstacles in Labor’s second term. Watt is a calm head and a smart communicator.
Less clean-cut is the promotion of Marles’ factional lieutenant, Sam Rae, a second-term Victorian MP and member of Labor’s national executive. After Marles knifed Dreyfus, Rae takes on the complex portfolio of aged care and seniors. Husic is expected to speak freely from the backbench and could be a political irritant for the government. Dreyfus is keeping his own counsel so far.
Additionally, Wells is now the minister for communications and sport, a potentially complex nexus for the burning social issue of sports gambling. Albanese indicated on Monday that he had completely moved on from recommendations from a parliamentary inquiry into gambling harms, led by late Labor MP Peta Murphy. Released in June 2023, it called for a phased ban on gambling advertising, a political task apparently too difficult for Labor before or after the election.
When asked whether his government would implement Murphy’s ban on Monday, Albanese said only, “I expect us to continue to do work as we have.”
Cabinet reshuffles can tell us where a government wants to go in a new parliamentary term. Albanese’s line-up suggests he wants to continue cautious, methodical government, picking Labor’s battles and not scaring voters enough to make them rethink the landmark result on 3 May.