Updated
Labor leader-elect Anthony Albanese will this week become the official Opposition Leader after an uncontested leadership ballot.
Key points:
- Anthony Albanese was the only person to nominate to become Labor leader
- The caucus will meet in Canberra later this week to elect a new deputy
- Mr Albanese will now select a frontbench to lead Labor in Opposition
Federal Caucus will meet later this week in Canberra to confirm the long-term frontbencher as its new leader and decide who will serve as his deputy.
At least four other candidates considered a tilt for Labor’s leadership, but none officially put themselves forward when nominations closed at 10:00am.
Mr Albanese, on Twitter, thanked his Labor colleagues and the party’s members for supporting him.
“Together we can return our great party to government in three years [sic] time,” he tweeted.
Deputy leader Tanya Plibersek considered running for the top job but opted against it, saying “now is not my time”.
She is unlikely to remain as the deputy because she sits in the same left faction as Mr Albanese and has a neighbouring electorate to him in Sydney.
Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen announced his candidacy only to withdraw it the next day after it became clear he would not be able to win.
Labor needs to reconnect with its base: Marles
Victorian right faction MP Richard Marles, Labor’s defence spokesman under Mr Shorten, is likely to become the new deputy leader.
Speaking to Melbourne radio station 3AW, Mr Marles said Labor needed to reconnect with its base.
“People who put on overalls, go to work, get dirty, come home. They have to know that we are their party,” he said.
“But it’s really important as well that we connect with people who have aspiration. And that that’s something that for people who are in that situation, that they see us as being a party for them.”
Mr Marles said he regretted previously saying the collapse of the global market for thermal coal was “at one level … a good thing”.
“The comments I made earlier this year were tone deaf,” he said.
“I regret them and I was apologising for them within a couple of days.
“And partly why they were tone deaf is because it failed to acknowledge the significance of every person’s job.”
Fellow Victorian right MP Clare O’Neil was interested in the role, but yesterday made way for Mr Marles.
She said her colleagues gave her “respectful” and “honest” feedback, and that it was not the right time for her to become deputy leader.
Finance spokesman and election campaign spokesman Jim Chalmers considered running for both the leader and deputy roles but decided against seeking either role.
Mr Albanese will hold a media conference at midday.
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