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Catherine King has been confirmed to retain her position as federal transport minister, despite a controversial Labor reshuffle.
King served in the position during Anthony Albanese’s first term, and was responsible for the introduction of the aviation green and white papers, which charted a course for the sector until 2050.
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She has also moved forward with sweeping reforms to passenger rights, including a proposed new aviation customer charter that would include provisions for refunds if a flight is delayed by more than three hours.
The draft charter, though, has seen mixed reviews, with consumer advocacy group Choice arguing it does not go far enough and the Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA) conversely insisting that regional carriers should be entitled to exemptions.
The decision to retain King in the cabinet comes despite the furore surrounding the demotion of science and industry minister Ed Husic, who launched a scathing attack on Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles over his demotion.
Husic told the ABC that Marles was an “assassin” and even argued his behaviour was unfit for a statesman.
“The difficult issue here is that we’ve had bare-faced ambition and a deputy prime minister wield a factional club to reshape the ministry,” he said.
Husic served as the science and industry minister during Anthony Albanese’s full first term as prime minister but was reportedly axed to balance state factions within the party.
The decision followed Labor increasing its majority after last week’s federal election, with estimates now suggesting the party could have as many as 93 MPs.
That increase shifted the party’s composition towards the faction of right-wing Victorian MPs, led by Marles, and away from right-wing NSW MPs, including Husic.
Newspapers have speculated that it was Marles who was responsible for choosing Husic to make way for a left-wing replacement.
“I think people, when they look at a deputy prime minister, they expect to see a statesman, not a factional assassin,” Husic said.
“I just feel for the supporters of our party, who went from the high of a Saturday and a terrific and tremendous win … I just feel like it’s been a distraction at the start of what’ll be a successful second term.”
Husic added that while he respected the need for factions to manage merit and ambition, Marles would have to answer for his personal role in his demotion.
He also blamed the change on his decision to speak out over the conflict in Gaza, arguing that you “can’t celebrate diversity and expect it to sit in a corner silent”.
