Penny Wong has made a giant level about serving a full time period after some repeated hypothesis about her future within the run-up to the election. The international minister went on a media blitz this morning on day two of the “again to work” message from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the management staff.
Whereas Albanese dominated the agenda yesterday, he’s left it to certainly one of his most trusted allies to border the message at the moment.
The important thing query got here from the ABC Information Breakfast staff. “Will you serve one other time period as international minister?”
Wong was emphatic: “I completely will. And I’m actually trying ahead to not solely doing good issues this time period, however working in a authorities that has a capability to be a extremely long-term Labor authorities and to alter this nation for the higher.”
Wong is among the authorities’s hottest figures, as proven by the Resolve Political Monitor on this masthead over a number of years. Elements of the media steered she would step down halfway via this time period, after which speculated that Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles would transfer from defence to international affairs. Wong has set issues straight, on the file. She additionally admitted to some shock on the scale of the Labor victory, with a majority within the excessive 80s by way of seats.
Wong (left) celebrates with Albanese, his son Nathan and fiancee Jodie Haydon on stage on Saturday night time.Credit score: Dominic Lorrimer
“It’s on the higher finish of my expectations,” she stated.
Wong was within the room with Albanese once they noticed the outcomes come via, however solely hinted on the emotion of that second. “I believe I gave him a hug,” she informed the 9 Community.
There was some partisan satisfaction for Wong within the defeat of a number of Greens MPs, together with the housing spokesman, Max Chandler-Mather.
Immediately presenter Karl Stefanovic steered the Greens would nonetheless “carry a stick” within the Senate, however added: “It’s extra like a toothpick with a cocktail onion now, although, don’t you suppose?
Wong appreciated what she heard: “Do you suppose I can use that line within the Senate?” She argued that Greens chief Adam Bandt tried to make use of the “politics of protest and grievance” in the identical method as former Liberal chief Peter Dutton. These are preventing phrases for the following Senate.
The ministry is in flux till Albanese makes the decision on portfolios. First, nevertheless, caucus meets on Friday to formalise the selections on who’s eligible for a publish. Caucus decides who will get into the ministry and the prime minister decides who will get what job. Marles and Wong are confirmed of their posts, as are Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and Commerce Minister Don Farrell.
Will Tanya Plibersek be moved from surroundings to change into the minister in control of the Nationwide Incapacity Insurance coverage Scheme? Albanese referred to as this “nonsense” on Monday, however he left different choices open. That is the way it needs to be: the Labor guidelines give caucus the voting rights on personnel.
