Labor insiders say assistant trade minister Tim Ayres’ move to sit out a previous promotion round in favour of female colleagues will all but guarantee him a spot in Anthony Albanese’s looming reshuffle.
The New South Wales senator and left faction powerbroker had been considered for elevation in mid-2024, but pushed for colleague Jenny McAllister to be promoted ahead of him.
Considered by colleagues to be very effective in his role as assistant minister for manufacturing and Labor’s Future Made in Australia agenda, and a strong media performer for the government, Ayres is regarded as personally close to the prime minister and other cabinet members.
Ayres is a former Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union official and has travelled overseas regularly as part of his work in the trade portfolio.
Incoming Tasmanian MP Rebecca White, a former state Labor opposition leader, is expected to be promoted immediately. Western Australian MPs Anne Aly and Patrick Gorman are also being closely watched for possible moves, following Labor’s thumping election victory.
Gorman is the assistant minister to the prime minister as well as the assistant minister for the public service. Aly is the minister for early childhood education and young people, and the minister assisting for the national disability insurance scheme.
The NDIS portfolio is expected to be returned to a standalone position, after Amanda Rishworth added it to her social services portfolio when Bill Shorten retired from parliament in February. Shorten also held the government services portfolio, but the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, took over that portfolio in the lead-up to the election.
Caucus members speaking on the condition of anonymity said Albanese did not have much room to move with the promotions, in part because most ministers were expected to remain in their existing portfolios.
Vacancies created by Shorten’s retirement, and that of the assistant treasurer, Stephen Jones, require new appointments.
Other names being mentioned for advancement include the assistant minister for multicultural affairs and citizenship, Julian Hill, the Parramatta MP, Andrew Charlton, and the economics committee chair, Daniel Mulino.
Some MPs stressed Albanese’s authority was at a new peak after the election victory, and speculation about appointments might be misplaced. Others said the party’s strength in Victoria meant MPs from the state should be considered in the reshuffle.
Labor’s expanded caucus is due to meet on Friday in Canberra, before parliament sits for the first time since the election in June.
Under Labor’s rules, the factions choose members of the government’s frontbench, but portfolios are awarded by the prime minister.
Albanese this week rejected suggestions the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, would be moved to another portfolio, calling media reports “nonsense”.
One consideration could be elevating more senators to the ranks of the ministry.
