Parties gather to elect leadership, Albanese to announce reshuffled cabinet

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Four more high profile seats have been called as all the major party rooms gather in Canberra to determine who will lead during this next term of government.  The Nationals will vote on its leadership today, with incumbent David Littleproud facing a challenge from Queensland senator Matt Canavan. Final jostling for the liberal leadership is also taking place with Angus Taylor and Sussan Ley shoring up support ahead of tomorrow's vote. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to unveil his reshuffled federal cabinet, this afternoon.

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00:00There's still a few unknowns about who will exactly take on which portfolio, which means

00:07there's always room for surprises. Never say otherwise in Canberra, particularly this week

00:14as we're seeing quite a lot of movement in terms of leadership and party positions as

00:22well. One of those surprises could be who takes on the portfolio of the Attorney General,

00:29last week we saw that Mark Dreyfus, who has been the Attorney General, was sidelined from

00:35the front bench alongside Ed Husic. He had been the industry and science minister. Some names

00:43are being thrown around about who might fill the shoes of Mark Dreyfus in particular in

00:48terms of the Attorney General's portfolio. Those names including Murray Watt, who has

00:54been the industrial relations minister and also another name, the communications minister,

01:00Michelle Rowland. We wait to see exactly who does fill those positions as well as others

01:07which would be left vacant if there's any sort of shuffling going on as part of this process.

01:13Now this isn't the only thing to keep your mind across today, Nicole, because both coalition

01:17partners are looking to resolve their leaderships today and tomorrow.

01:21Indeed they are. As I say, a busy week in Canberra, another busy week. In terms of the Nationals,

01:28there is a challenge from Matt Canavan, Queensland Senator, to the leadership of David Littleproud.

01:36Now the process of spilling the leadership positions in the Nationals party is customary,

01:43particularly after an election loss. And there is a bit of a split in the party over its direction

01:50and commitment to climate targets, in particular the net zero by 2050 decision.

01:58Many saying that hasn't borne out very well for regional areas in particular. Here's Matt Canavan

02:05with his pitch.

02:06I would prioritise lower energy prices, not lower emissions. That's what our energy policy should

02:12be designed to do. The priority should be cheaper energy prices, not meeting some ridiculous,

02:17futile, not even effective global environmental goals.

02:21The party also has to decide on a new deputy after the current deputy, Perrin Davie, lost

02:28her Senate seat in New South Wales at the election. And then, as you say, tomorrow the focus turns

02:34very much to the Liberal Party and their future leadership, having to elect both a leader and

02:41deputy off the back of their loss about a week ago. Now, just over a week ago at the election,

02:47Susan Lee, the current deputy and the current shadow treasurer Angus Taylor, are vying for

02:55that top spot as opposition leader. And it's a little unclear who the deputy could be. Although

03:03if Angus Taylor gets his way, it would be Jacinta Numpajumpa-Price, who firmed up that speculation

03:10yesterday. Susan Lee, though, that remains an unknown as to the deputy for sure. Some names also

03:17being thrown around on that front, but we will find out this time tomorrow or probably most likely

03:22a bit later, hopefully around this time would be helpful.

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