Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his cabinet and described the opposition as a “cheerleading squad for people smugglers” in a hostile press conference.
The new front bench saw Andrew Giles and Claire O’Neill demoted on Monday after poor performances, with Tony Burke promoted to immigration minister and Murray Watt taking over as labour relations minister.
Meanwhile, Northern Territory Senator Mallarandiri McCarthy has replaced Linda Burney as Minister for Indigenous Affairs, and Senator Jenny McAllister has taken up her first Cabinet role as Minister for Cities and Emergency Management.
The new ministry is now hard at work, with Mr Albanese hoping the reshuffle will give his party a boost in the upcoming election in light of Labour’s recent decline in opinion polls.
On Tuesday, Mr Albanese used his aggressive media appearances to launch a robust defence of his government, focusing in particular on its handling of immigration, and repeated previous claims that Labour inherited a “broken system” when it took power in 2022.
“We carried out Operation Sovereign Borders, as we said we would do, every day,” he said.
“A number of reports, including from Martin Parkinson, Christine Nixon and Dennis Richardson, have suggested that the previous system was dysfunctional because the previous government was always obsessed with politics.”
The prime minister even attacked journalists, suggesting that they were taking questions directly from critics of the government’s approach.
“The people who send you the questions you ask at these press conferences are obsessed with politics, not obsessed with outcomes or looking at the Australian national interest,” he added.
“Andrew Giles had to preside over a Supreme Court decision. It is extraordinary that we have people in this country who reject the separation of powers between the judiciary and the political system.”
Mr Albanese also backed the record of Mr Burke, who was immigration minister in the Rudd government in 2013, in response to critics by claiming the recently reappointed minister was fit for the role.
“Tony Burke is a successful person in everything he has done or undertaken. He has already achieved great success, and he is there in Indonesia,” Mr. Albanese said.
Mr Burke travelled to Bali on Monday evening for talks with the Indonesian government on how best to tackle the problem of people smuggling in the region.
Responding to critics of the appointment, Albanese claimed that “the only people who encourage people smugglers are some members of the coalition who are constantly trying to undermine Australia.”
“That’s not my approach, that was not my approach when I was Labour leader before the last election, and that’s not my approach as Labour prime minister,” he added.
“Not a single person has been settled” in Australia under his government, the prime minister added, dismissing claims that the country could see an influx of illegal immigrants while Mr Burke is in power.
opposition members Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie questioned Mr Burke’s credentials after the appointment, claiming that he Don’t do much to “fix” problems. With immigration.
However, the new immigration minister was quick to respond to these arguments, telling ABC on Tuesday morning that “very high degree of confidence“In his ability to perform the role.”
“We will not leave a stone unturned when it comes to community safety,” Mr Burke added, responding to concerns about his handling of immigration detainees, many of whom had previous criminal convictions, who were released after a Supreme Court ruling late last year.
