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Albanese under pressure to show hand as Bill Shorten seeks leadership Albanese under pressure to show hand as Bill Shorten seeks leadership
(about 3 hours later)
Labor’s rightwing faction is trying to flush out the intentions of Anthony Albanese as its candidate, Bill Shorten, prepares to formally announce his intention to run for the party leadership. Labor’s rightwing faction is trying to flush out the intentions of Anthony Albanese as its candidate, Bill Shorten, signalled he was preparing to formally announce his intention to run for the party leadership.
Leftwinger Albanese has been uncertain about whether he should stand and party sources were still unclear about his plans on Wednesday morning.Leftwinger Albanese has been uncertain about whether he should stand and party sources were still unclear about his plans on Wednesday morning.
Shorten is expected to make an announcement later on Wednesday and Albanese will have to announce his position soon, with the pared-back Labor caucus meeting in Canberra on Friday. Shorten had been expected to make an announcement on Wednesday, but his spokesman, while confirming he was a candidate, said he would not be holding a press conference to formally declare a leadership bid.
If there is more than one candidate in the race, the new rules to include the party’s rank and file membership in the ballot would take effect in a process that would take almost a month. Albanese will have to announce his position soon, with the pared-back Labor caucus meeting in Canberra on Friday.
If there is more than one candidate in the race, the new rules to include the party’s rank and file membership in the ballot would take effect in a process that would take almost a month and would make it very difficult for Labor factional chiefs to "do the numbers".
Shorten has made it clear to colleagues he would prefer to avoid a ballot and some inside Labor say it would be better for a consensus candidate to emerge to avoid any further division in the wake of the party’s resounding election defeat.Shorten has made it clear to colleagues he would prefer to avoid a ballot and some inside Labor say it would be better for a consensus candidate to emerge to avoid any further division in the wake of the party’s resounding election defeat.
The new process – introduced by Kevin Rudd after he resumed the Labor leadership – involves two ballots worth 50% each, one of the parliamentary caucus and the other for the wider membership of the ALP.The new process – introduced by Kevin Rudd after he resumed the Labor leadership – involves two ballots worth 50% each, one of the parliamentary caucus and the other for the wider membership of the ALP.
The left traditionally does well in rank and file ballots, and under the new process the party ballot would occur first. The left traditionally does well in rank and file ballots, and, under the new process, the party ballot would occur first. Shorten is likely to win the majority of votes in the caucus.
It is understood there have been unsuccessful attempts for the two candidates to reach an agreement about who should stand, and who should be their deputy.
Meanwhile the Albo4leader Twitter account was suspended. Organiser Luke Whitington said he thought it was because of the rapid surge in activity.
He said the organisation had not been in contact with Albanese, other than a tweet asking him to contest the leadership. It's Facebook account was still"going gangbusters", Whitington said.
Each side argues its candidate would be best to put the rancorous Gillard/Rudd years behind the party. The right says a new era would be signalled if Shorten ran with the popular left frontbencher Tanya Plibersek, the left that renewal would be proved if the rank and file helped choose Albanese.Each side argues its candidate would be best to put the rancorous Gillard/Rudd years behind the party. The right says a new era would be signalled if Shorten ran with the popular left frontbencher Tanya Plibersek, the left that renewal would be proved if the rank and file helped choose Albanese.
One of the biggest decisions for the new Labor leader will be whether to oppose the Coalition’s “first order of business”, the abolition of the carbon tax.One of the biggest decisions for the new Labor leader will be whether to oppose the Coalition’s “first order of business”, the abolition of the carbon tax.
The dominant view in the Labor party appears to be that Labor should oppose the repeal, and on election night Shorten said Labor would stick with its core belief that “there should be a price on carbon pollution'' and had a “'mandate from its supporters to be true to its values''.The dominant view in the Labor party appears to be that Labor should oppose the repeal, and on election night Shorten said Labor would stick with its core belief that “there should be a price on carbon pollution'' and had a “'mandate from its supporters to be true to its values''.
But there are some who are arguing that Labor should allow the repeal through and, on Wednesday, the South Australian MP Nick Champion gave voice to that view.But there are some who are arguing that Labor should allow the repeal through and, on Wednesday, the South Australian MP Nick Champion gave voice to that view.
''If the majority of people vote for bad policy then they simply need to see that experiment fulfilled. It's not our job to save the Liberal party from bad policy. It's not our job to save the Australian people from bad policy if that's what they choose,'' he said, telling ABC radio the Coalition’s Direct Action policy would be a disaster.''If the majority of people vote for bad policy then they simply need to see that experiment fulfilled. It's not our job to save the Liberal party from bad policy. It's not our job to save the Australian people from bad policy if that's what they choose,'' he said, telling ABC radio the Coalition’s Direct Action policy would be a disaster.
''If the Liberal party want to hang themselves, well, we should give them as much rope as they need,'' he said, advocating that Labor should vote against the carbon tax repeal legislation in the lower house and abstain in the Senate.''If the Liberal party want to hang themselves, well, we should give them as much rope as they need,'' he said, advocating that Labor should vote against the carbon tax repeal legislation in the lower house and abstain in the Senate.
And Victorian MP Richard Marles concurred, saying Labor needed to recognise that Tony Abbott had won the election.And Victorian MP Richard Marles concurred, saying Labor needed to recognise that Tony Abbott had won the election.
Albanese said on Sunday he would vehemently oppose Labor walking away from the policy.Albanese said on Sunday he would vehemently oppose Labor walking away from the policy.
“Well, we are absolutely going to defend taking action on climate change,” Albanese said. “I could not – I could not look my son in the eye and walk away from taking action on climate change. Some things are absolutely vital, not just for now, but for future generations.“Well, we are absolutely going to defend taking action on climate change,” Albanese said. “I could not – I could not look my son in the eye and walk away from taking action on climate change. Some things are absolutely vital, not just for now, but for future generations.
“There is a cost to carbon. There is a cost. The question is: do we pass it on to future generations or do we, as this generation, take responsibility? I believe we have to do that. We have supported an emissions trading scheme for a very long time. And certainly I was elected on a mandate again yesterday with a swing to me on the issue of taking action on climate change.”“There is a cost to carbon. There is a cost. The question is: do we pass it on to future generations or do we, as this generation, take responsibility? I believe we have to do that. We have supported an emissions trading scheme for a very long time. And certainly I was elected on a mandate again yesterday with a swing to me on the issue of taking action on climate change.”
Both Shorten and Albanese said they were determined that Labor should not allow the ascendant Coalition to rewrite Labor’s record in office to erase its achievements, as the Howard government did for the Hawke-Keating era.Both Shorten and Albanese said they were determined that Labor should not allow the ascendant Coalition to rewrite Labor’s record in office to erase its achievements, as the Howard government did for the Hawke-Keating era.
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