A factional war risks overshadowing the start of Labor’s second term in power, with senior ministers Mark Dreyfus and Ed Husic at risk of being pushed out of cabinet in a fight party sources describe as increasingly ruthless.
Ahead of the first caucus meeting after Labor’s stunning election victory, due to take place at Parliament House on Friday, MPs aligned with the Victorian right faction are moving to dump Dreyfus, the attorney general, from cabinet on Thursday.
Guardian Australia has been told Dreyfus has personally appealed to the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, to keep his place. But he faces being replaced by Victorian backbencher and factional convenor, Sam Rae.
Rae, the MP for Hawke, is closely aligned with the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles.
Dreyfus, who has been attorney general since 2022 and held the same role at the end of the Rudd-Gillard government in 2013, rejected rumours he was preparing to resign before the federal election.
Separately, supporters of Husic, the industry and science minister, are concerned he will be pushed out of cabinet due to an overrepresentation of the New South Wales right faction at the top of the government.
One supporter said Labor could not be seen to be forcing senior Muslim and Jewish MPs out of their positions so soon after the election.
“The Liberals show what happens if you don’t make tough decisions and renew,” one Labor source said. “It is ruthless.”
Frontbenchers including Chris Bowen, Tony Burke and Jason Clare all come from the NSW right.
Party members said this week there was no appetite internally to cut senior women from cabinet, though the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, could be shifted to another portfolio.
The NSW senator and assistant minister Tim Ayres is expected to be elevated, in the position vacated by former assistant treasurer Stephen Jones. Ayres is personally close to Albanese, well regarded among colleagues and is a member of the ALP’s powerful national executive.
Former disability minister Bill Shorten, who stepped down before the federal election, also has to be replaced. His portfolios cover the national disability insurance scheme and government services could go to a newly appointed minister.
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Along with the incoming Tasmanian MP Rebecca White, a former state opposition leader, likely appointments to the ministry from the left include Victorians Jess Walsh and Ged Kearney.
Labor MPs and party figures all stressed that Albanese’s decisive election victory meant his authority within the party meant he could intervene if necessary.
If no deal can be reached by factions meeting on Thursday afternoon, a vote of MPs is possible in the caucus meeting on Friday. That had been expected to be a mostly ceremonial meeting, with photo opportunities and speeches by the leadership group celebrating the party’s thumping win over the Coalition.
Labor’s faction fight could take the spotlight off bloodletting in the Liberal party and in the Greens, both of which lost their leaders and face their own messy internal negotiations.
Albanese said he expects the new ministry to be sworn in in Canberra on Tuesday next week.
There are 20 cabinet positions and 10 outer ministries to be filled. Once the factions choose their candidates, Albanese assigns portfolios to individual MPs.
