Albo ministers duck reshuffle questions

Albanese government ministers have fended off questions about a potential ministerial reshuffle, tipped to be announced after the Prime Minister returns from leave.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, who has faced intense pressure over his handling of the detainee visa issue, said he was “very happy” any decision was Anthony Albanese’s to make.

“I am very happy doing the work I am doing but of course any reshuffle is a matter for the Prime Minister and I won’t comment on any of his decisions in that regard,” he told reporters in Melbourne.

Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles was also playing it straight, joking that he wouldn’t be doing a reset while filling in for Mr Albanese.

“I’m going to leave all those matters to him,” Mr Marles told Sky News.

Mr Albanese’s ministry has remained unchanged since winning the May 2022 election.

“I can’t recall any new government having the same ministry in place two years after they were appointed,” Mr Albanese has said previously.

“There’s been no trips to Yarralumla and that’s quite remarkable.”

But he indicated that changes were inevitable if the government was re-elected “or perhaps even before”.

There’s renewed speculation Mr Albanese, who is on leave, will announce a minor reshuffle of his front bench before parliament resumes next month after the winter break.

Cabinet ministers Linda Burney, 67, and Brendan O’Connor, 62, have been tipped to announce their retirements.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, 70, has said he was planning to run again.

“I would hope, my party permitting, continuing as a cabinet minister in the next term of an Albanese government,” he said on Tuesday.

The retirements would allow Mr Albanese to refresh his front bench – without scandal – before the election due by May next year.

In May, Mr Albanese hinted at shifting Mr Giles.

“Andrew Giles is the immigration minister, I’m the prime minister, and I have no intentions of making changes imminently,” he said.

Mr Giles has stared down the Coalition’s calls for his resignation, saying he has no plans to quit the portfolio.

He has been under fire after it was revealed a controversial ministerial direction – known as Direction 99 – he issued in January 2023 had resulted in the Australian Administrative Appeals Tribunal overturning the visa cancellations of dozens of criminal non-citizens, allowing them to remain in Australia.

Under the direction, the tribunal was tasked with considering a host of factors, including an individual’s community ties, when deciding to revoke a visa cancellation.

Among those whose visa cancellations had been overturned were rapists and one man who allegedly murdered another man when his visa was reinstated.

Direction 99 has since been revised.

Mr Albanese has until May next year to go to the polls, although Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has put the Coalition on an election footing.

Before going on leave, Mr Albanese announced a slew of Labor candidates in key Queensland seats, including Ali France to go up against Mr Dutton in the marginal northern Brisbane seat of Dickson.

But Mr Albanese, who has consistently said he wants to complete a full term, laughed of suggestions he was planning on going early.