Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Weekend Australian’s live blog on the fallout of Scott Morrison’s miracle election win. The PM is expected to unveil his new-look cabinet today, while Labor’s Anthony Albanese is talking up his leadership credentials.
Greg Sheridan 1.20pm: PM backs Sinodinos to become next US ambassador
Scott Morrison will recommend to the Governor-General that NSW Senator Arthur Sinodinos become Australia’s next ambassador to the US, and that Victorian Senator Mitch Fifeld, the Minister for Communicatons, become Australia’s ambassador to the United Nations.
The move could clear the way for the return of retiring Senator Jim Molan, who just missed out on the election.
It is understood both senators Sinodinos and Fifield could have had a place the new Morrison ministry but chose to accept these high ranking diplomatic appointments.
Greg Brown 1.08pm: MP lobbies for Neumann to stay
Labor MP Milton Dick has called for Anthony Albanese to keep immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann on the frontbench.
The Queensland Right MP said there should be room for two right-wing Queenslanders on Labor’s frontbench, amid concerns Mr Neumann will make way for NSW senator Kristina Keneally.
“I would hope that Queensland retains its strong representation and we see as many people on the frontbench as possible,” Mr Dick told The Australian.
“Shayne has made a huge contribution and I certainly hope he will remain in a frontbench position.”
Que
ensland Right MP Jim Chalmers is expected to be appointed to a senior position.
Joe Kelly 10.52am: Sinodinos not ruling out US ambassador role
NSW Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos is not ruling himself out of the contest to become Australia’s next ambassador to the United States with Joe Hockey due to finish up his term in January.
With Scott Morrison set to unveil his new cabinet this afternoon, both Senator Sinodinos as well as Finance Minister Mathias Cormann were this morning canvassed by the media as options to replace Mr Hockey.
Senator Cormann quickly trashed suggestions he could be sent to Washington as Australia’s ambassador to the US, taking to Twitter to reject a story published by The Sydney Morning Herald.
“That is not an exclusive and not accurate. Any suggestion that I’m in the running for this job is 100% incorrect,” Senator Cormann said.
But Senator Sinodinos — a former chief of staff to John Howard — appears to be leaving the door open to the critical diplomatic job in Washington.
A replacement for Mr Hockey could be announced as soon as today.
Richard Ferguson 9.35am: We got it badly wrong: O’Neil
Opposition justice spokeswoman Clare O’Neil says her party took the “wrong platform” to the election and that Labor must re-focus on employment and job security.
“We brought the wrong platform to the election and we need to reconsider every aspect of it and have a good look at why we got this one so badly wrong,” she told ABC News.
“We took a big, unwieldy, risky policy agenda to the election and it was hard to explain and it was hard to defend and very easy to weaponise.
“I think it was much too crowded, absolutely. What I think the public doesn’t always see about politics is that you can do a 15 minute political interview where you talk about the importance of growth for 14 minutes and then talk about negative gearing for 30 seconds.
“If the story of the day is negative gearing, that is what the public see and hear.
“I think we need to think about how we will connect this back to our core message, which is that every Australian deserves the right to a job.
“Job security, if you are working in this country you shouldn’t be living in poverty, these fundamental things about being Labor and we need to bring our election platform much more back to the core issues.”
“Looking back over the result and given that Labor didn't really advance in any state, do you expect now that you will need to ditch some of your policies?”@barriecassidy asks Labor's @ClareONeilMP about the policies the party took to the election. #Insiders #auspol pic.twitter.com/TwwEwe4eFG
— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) May 25, 2019
Richard Ferguson 9.20am: Marles set for deputy spot
Labor’s defence spokesman Richard Marles is set to become the deputy leader of the opposition, as the party’s justice spokeswoman Clare O’Neil announces she will not run.
“I have spent the last three or four days having incredible conversations with my colleagues
about whether this is a position that I might be able to take on,” she told ABC News today.
“They have been in every regard respectful, they have been honest. It has never been suggested to me that a 38-year-old woman shouldn’t aspire and reach for that position.
“I think the view that I’ve reached from colleagues is that I’d be probably OK at the kind of
front-facing aspect of the deputy leadership role but that there is a lot to being deputy leader of the Labor Party, that is internal, about bringing the party together behind the leader.
“Richard Marles has got the skills and the qualities and the experience at this stage to be able to do that job really well.”
"Why did Tanya Plibersek not run?"@barriecassidy asks Labor MP @ClareONeilMP "why are people so reluctant" to run for Labor leadership roles. #Insiders #auspol pic.twitter.com/8o4jYearDH
— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) May 25, 2019
Richard Ferguson 8.45am: PM will make his own decisions: Minister
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has refused to label himself the leader of the Liberal moderates now Christopher Pyne has left politics, but says he has advised Scott Morrison on his cabinet.
“We don’t have formalised factions in the Liberal Party. My approach is that I seek to engage with my colleagues as broadly and widely as possible,” he told Sky News.
“It is for others to choose (my place in the moderate hierarchy). These aren’t things that are organised or contested or elected.
“I gave some thoughts to the PM (on cabinet) as you would expect. I’m sure many of our colleagues did as well … Ultimately the Prime Minister makes these decisions.”
.@Birmo says there are no 'formalised factions in the @LiberalAus Party', insisting that he seeks to engage with his colleagues 'as broadly as possible'.
'We each bring our own perspectives and values to the partyroom.'
MORE: https://t.co/H4M8Iv2cYG #SpeersOnSunday pic.twitter.com/FoYWcFEaDb
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 25, 2019
Richard Ferguson: 8.30am: Birmingham makes pitch to stay
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham says he would be “happy” to keep his portfolio in today’s cabinet reshuffle, even as the Nationals make a play for his job.
“I know Scott Morrison has been taking his time this last week to think about the structure and the personalities and the people best placed to take the country forward,” he told Sky News.
“We’ve a very busy agenda as a government in terms of the trade portfolio. First and foremost to make sure that we legislate and ratify the agreements that have been made over the past few months with Indonesia, Hong Kong and Peru.
“We then want to make sure we conclude negotiations on the Australia-European Union agreement.”
A Morrison Government trade minister would also have to deal with the growing US-China trade war and the fallout from Brexit.
Nationals leader Michael McCormack has reportedly made clear his party wants the trade portfolio back. The Coalition junior partner has held trade in every LNP government until 2013, when Tony Abbott appointed Liberal Andrew Robb.
The Liberal Party is keen to keep trade due to ongoing negotiations on various trade deals.
Richard Ferguson 8am: Winners, losers in Morrison’s cabinet
Scott Morrison is set to unveil his new cabinet today and we could be in store for some surprises.
The Weekend Australian understands the economic team — Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann — will stay where they are, as will Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
There are four spots left to fill by retirements at the last election. Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt, Cities Minister Alan Tudge and Assistant Regional Development Minister Sussan Ley are all possibly in line for promotions.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield and Environment Minister Melissa Price could be demoted.
7.30am: We should be the natural party of government: Albo
Labor’s leader-in-waiting Anthony Albanese has vowed to balance environmental protection and jobs, and claims he is now a “more rounded politician” than the party warrior he has earned a reputation for.
In an interview in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Albanese — who is the only contender for the leadership ballot following several high-profile withdrawals — denied a long-held ambition for leadership.
“I think I have grown as a politician and a person,” he said.
“A lot of people who run for leadership positions are people who have thought about it for a long time. I was a very political person but I went into parliament to make a difference, not to be the leader.”
He said he would not be afraid to distance Labor’s agenda from the Greens’.
“People want jobs and a better quality of life for their children than they had for themselves. We need an agenda that speaks tot he majority of Australians.”
Rachel Baxendale 7am: Libs poised to claim Chisholm
The Weekend Australian revealed late yesterday that Liberal candidate Gladys Liu has all but claimed victory in the eastern Melbourne seat of Chisholm, where she leads her Labor counterpart Jennifer Yang by 1405 votes.
Earlier this week the Australian Electoral Commission deemed the seat a probable win for the Liberals, delivering Prime Minister Scott Morrison the 76 seats he needs to form majority government.
With the Tasmanian seat of Bass since deemed another probable Liberal gain by the AEC, and the Liberals ahead in the NSW seat of Macquarie - one of two seats still too close to call - the Morrison government is on track to hold 78 seats in the 151 seat House of Representatives.
Ms Liu, who has won the seat previously held by Liberal Party defector Julia Banks, released a statement late yesterday, saying she was looking forward to being a part of the Morrison Liberal team and delivering on the commitments the party made to the Chisholm community during the election campaign.
“On current counting trends I will be the next Member for Chisholm,” Ms Liu said.
“I’m looking forward to representing my community in the Australian parliament and delivering on our plan for lower, simpler and fairer taxes.”
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