Labor leader Anthony Albanese will reshuffle his frontbencher that will eject Mark Butler from the climate change portfolio amid growing leadership speculation.
The long-awaited reshuffle, which is set to be announced this coming weekend, will feature new faces on the frontbench just days before Parliament resumes next week for the first sitting in 2021.
The new timetable was flagged in a brutal interview on the ABC’s 7.30 program, where the opposition leader was asked “what is the point “ of his leadership.
“You often ask the question, ‘What’s the point of this government?’ What I would like to ask you is, ‘What’s the point of the Albanese opposition’?” 7:30 host Laura Tingle asked.
In a follow up question Tingle then asked the Labor leader: “You’re proceeding with a frontbench reshuffle. What do you hope to achieve with this?”
“What I hope to achieve is to show what Labors priorities are,’’ Mr Albanese said.
“It’ll be announced at the weekend and I’m talking through with colleagues and I’m sure that we will achieve a stronger team going forward with the right people in the right jobs, and it will be, I think, a positive move,’’ he said.
Labor frontbencher Mark Butler has held his role within the climate change portfolio since 2013.
He was once dubbed the “Grim Reaper” by internal critics and was the mastermind behind Labor’s climate policy in the last election.
He has publicly indicated he is happy to be moved to a new challenge after nearly a decade in the vexed portfolio.
Rumours are rife that health spokesman Chris Bowen will take on the role, as the party’s former treasury spokesman is keen to delve into the climate portfolio.
There is also speculation that deputy Labor leader Richard Marles will be moved from defence and slotted into a more frontline role prosecuting the opposition’s arguments.
