Major Labor Cabinet reshuffle announced by Anthony Albanese

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has announced a reshuffle of his frontbench, with Chris Bowen taking over the key climate change portfolio.

Mr Bowen has been announced as Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, taking over from long-serving climate spokesman Mark Butler, who had held the position since 2013.

LIVE UPDATES: Australia-NZ travel bubble suspension extended

"This reshuffle is about Australians getting the most out of Labor," Mr Albanese said today.

"The easy choice to make is to not make many changes and just keep things as they are.

"I'm absolutely determined and events this year have reinforced my view that I will do the right thing, not necessarily the easy thing.

"This is the strongest team to form an Albanese Labor Government.

"I'm interested not so much in being in opposition and what titles people have, I'm interested in getting rid of the one word that's the bad word from the titles of the people I'm about to inform you.

https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1354648191417733120

"That one really bad word is 'shadow'.

"I want to remove that and I want to move us to the corridor down the end of this building. So this is a strong team."

Mr Butler is now the Shadow Minister for Aged Care and Clare O'Neill will serve as Shadow Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services.

In another of the moves, Mr Albanese said deputy Labor leader Richard Marles will take on a new job focusing on pandemic recovery.

"In a new portfolio, Richard will be Shadow Minister for National Reconstruction, Employment Skills and Small Business, as well as taking on Shadow Minister for Science," Mr Albanese said.

Mr Marles was previously the Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.

In other moves, Ed Husic becomes the Shadow Minister for Jobs, and Brendan O'Connor takes over as Shadow Minister for Defence.

Kristina Keneally, Deputy Leader in the Senate, will take on additional responsibilities as Shadow Minister for Government Accountability.

Madeleine King will become Shadow Minister for Trade.

Mr Albanese said the focal point of the reshuffle is about jobs and helping the country recover from the pandemic.

from 9News https://ift.tt/3ppHe5z
via IFTTT