Axed minister’s angry response to ‘factional assassin’
Poppy Johnston |
Dumped cabinet minister Ed Husic believes speaking out on the conflict in Gaza may have contributed to his demotion as he fired shots at factional bosses behind the decision.
The former industry and science minister lashed Richard Marles, with the move to ditch him thought to have been signed off by the Victorian right faction leader and deputy prime minister.
Speaking frankly after his ousting, Mr Husic said Mr Marles had chosen to “wield the factional club to reshape the ministry”.
“When people look at a deputy prime minister, they expect to see a statesman, not a factional assassin,” he told ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday.
Asked if Mr Marles put his ambition to boost his numbers ahead of the good of the Labor Party and government, Mr Husic said “a lot of people would draw that conclusion”.
The first Muslim to be made a cabinet minister, Mr Husic agreed his willingness to speak out following “the horrors of October 7”, when Hamas attacked Israel in 2023, triggering a large-scale assault on Gaza, may have factored into his relegation to the backbench.
“I think it’s been a factor in there,” he said.
“Would I do things differently? I don’t think so.
“I don’t think I could ever stay silent in the face of innocent civilians being slaughtered in their tens of thousands and being starved out of Gaza.”
Following Labor’s resounding win at the polls, the party’s progressive left and more conservative right factions have been carving up the limited ministerial spots.
Mr Husic was dumped to rebalance the ledger between the NSW and Victorian right, with the former over-represented in cabinet as spots are decided on a proportional basis between factions and states.
Mark Dreyfus also lost his spot as attorney-general in the factional antics.
He will be replaced by Victorian MP Sam Rae, a factional ally of Mr Marles.
Another Victorian from the right, Daniel Mulino, has been promoted to the ministry, as have senators Jess Walsh and Tim Ayres from the left.
Western Australian MP Anne Aly, the first Muslim woman elected to federal parliament, is expected to be elevated to the senior ministry.
Former leader of Tasmanian Labor, Bec White, told Sky News she had not made a deal to secure an assistant minister spot ahead of her successful run in the federal seat of Lyons.
The prime minister will assign portfolios this week.
Mr Husic said he had “walked the political desert” before and would keep fighting for a technology-fuelled growth agenda from the back bench.
“We need to burn through the timidity that has shackled us in the first term,” he said.
“We are going to need to make big changes in a world that is changing fast to ensure the country stands on its own two feet.”
As science and industry minister, he oversaw the set-up of a multi-billion dollar manufacturing fund and pushed quantum technology as a major opportunity for Australia.
AAP
