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Anthony Albanese fights back after Tony Abbott 'C-team' jibe Anthony Albanese fights back after Tony Abbott 'C-team' jibe
(3 months later)
Tony Abbott has been forced to maintain a substandard shadow ministerial team "araldited" in place because of a deal about shadow-ministerial pay, the deputy prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said, rejecting the opposition leader's claim that Labor's new frontbench is "the C-team".Tony Abbott has been forced to maintain a substandard shadow ministerial team "araldited" in place because of a deal about shadow-ministerial pay, the deputy prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said, rejecting the opposition leader's claim that Labor's new frontbench is "the C-team".
Despite having to plug the gaps caused by a mass exodus of Labor ministers after the overthrow of Julia Gillard last week, Albanese told Guardian Australia that many of the new frontbenchers who will be sworn in on Monday afternoon had experience in their portfolios.Despite having to plug the gaps caused by a mass exodus of Labor ministers after the overthrow of Julia Gillard last week, Albanese told Guardian Australia that many of the new frontbenchers who will be sworn in on Monday afternoon had experience in their portfolios.
The deputy Liberal leader, Julie Bishop, said the consistency on the Coalition front bench was a sign of competence and stability.The deputy Liberal leader, Julie Bishop, said the consistency on the Coalition front bench was a sign of competence and stability.
"Sixteen of our shadow ministers were ministers in the last competent government Australia had … we can provide the stability and security Australians need and deserve," she said."Sixteen of our shadow ministers were ministers in the last competent government Australia had … we can provide the stability and security Australians need and deserve," she said.
"We have a very good team, an experienced team, people who have been in their portfolios for three or four years now," she said, while Kevin Rudd had "the political blood of Australia's first female prime minister dripping from his hands"."We have a very good team, an experienced team, people who have been in their portfolios for three or four years now," she said, while Kevin Rudd had "the political blood of Australia's first female prime minister dripping from his hands".
But Albanese insisted that "person for person [Rudd's new team] is a lot better than Tony Abbott's team".But Albanese insisted that "person for person [Rudd's new team] is a lot better than Tony Abbott's team".
And he said a deal done about shadow ministerial pay meant Abbott "has been stuck with the same frontbench team since 2010 because he has more shadows than he can possibly have ministers in government, so people with ability are on the backbench while other people have been araldited onto the front bench, and that is why no one in the Coalition argues they have the best team".And he said a deal done about shadow ministerial pay meant Abbott "has been stuck with the same frontbench team since 2010 because he has more shadows than he can possibly have ministers in government, so people with ability are on the backbench while other people have been araldited onto the front bench, and that is why no one in the Coalition argues they have the best team".
Last year parliament passed laws that cleared the way for the remuneration tribunal to implement its recommendation that MPs and senators get a pay rise.Last year parliament passed laws that cleared the way for the remuneration tribunal to implement its recommendation that MPs and senators get a pay rise.
As well as boosting the pay packets of backbenchers from $140,000 to $185,000, the changes gave shadow cabinet members an additional 25% and junior shadow ministers an additional 20%, in recognition of their extra duties.As well as boosting the pay packets of backbenchers from $140,000 to $185,000, the changes gave shadow cabinet members an additional 25% and junior shadow ministers an additional 20%, in recognition of their extra duties.
But the remuneration tribunal imposed a condition that the shadow ministry receiving the extra pay could not be bigger than the government's ministry, presenting an immediate problem because Abbott's shadow ministry was already 32-strong.But the remuneration tribunal imposed a condition that the shadow ministry receiving the extra pay could not be bigger than the government's ministry, presenting an immediate problem because Abbott's shadow ministry was already 32-strong.
The Coalition got around that hitch by doing a deal for a "grandfather" provision, allowing all existing shadow ministers to get the extra pay, but agreeing that if any changes at all were made to the shadow ministerial line-up it would have to be reduced by two.The Coalition got around that hitch by doing a deal for a "grandfather" provision, allowing all existing shadow ministers to get the extra pay, but agreeing that if any changes at all were made to the shadow ministerial line-up it would have to be reduced by two.
The Ministers of State Act 1952 says a government can have no more than 30 ministers. The shadow cabinet has 20 members and the outer ministry 12 – a total of 32. The Ministers of State Act also decrees that there can be no more than 12 parliamentary secretaries. Abbott now has 15.The Ministers of State Act 1952 says a government can have no more than 30 ministers. The shadow cabinet has 20 members and the outer ministry 12 – a total of 32. The Ministers of State Act also decrees that there can be no more than 12 parliamentary secretaries. Abbott now has 15.
Albanese said many of Labor's new team did have relevant experience.Albanese said many of Labor's new team did have relevant experience.
"Many of the people are coming in are very experienced," he said, citing senator Kim Carr's return to the innovation portfolio he held until December 2011, Tony Burke's time as a shadow minister in his new portfolio of immigration and Catherine King's experience as a junior minister in the regional affairs portfolio she will now represent in cabinet."Many of the people are coming in are very experienced," he said, citing senator Kim Carr's return to the innovation portfolio he held until December 2011, Tony Burke's time as a shadow minister in his new portfolio of immigration and Catherine King's experience as a junior minister in the regional affairs portfolio she will now represent in cabinet.
If he wins government, Abbott would have to deal with the size of his front bench before he even begins to consider the understandable ambition for promotion to ministerial ranks of parliamentary secretaries such as Arthur Sinodinos, Jamie Briggs, Simon Birmingham and Tony Smith, not to mention backbenchers such as Kelly O'Dwyer, Paul Fletcher and Josh Frydenberg.If he wins government, Abbott would have to deal with the size of his front bench before he even begins to consider the understandable ambition for promotion to ministerial ranks of parliamentary secretaries such as Arthur Sinodinos, Jamie Briggs, Simon Birmingham and Tony Smith, not to mention backbenchers such as Kelly O'Dwyer, Paul Fletcher and Josh Frydenberg.
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