Former transport and infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese looks almost certain to be Australia’s next Opposition leader, after Chris Bowen and Jim Chalmers ruled themselves out of the Labor Party’s leadership race.
Bowen, Labor’s shadow treasurer before the disastrous election upset, announced on Wednesday he would no longer look to succeed Bill Shorten, who stepped down as party leader on Saturday night.
Bowen, 46, had announced his intentions to run on Tuesday, but just a day later told the media he had come to the view he would be “unlikely” to win the ballot.
That left the door open for another member of Labor’s Right faction, Jim Chalmers, to run against Albanese, who is from the party’s Left.
Chalmers, 41, said on Wednesday he was “being encouraged to nominate,” but then announced on Thursday he would not run against Albanese.
“I spoke to Anthony Albanese this morning and told him I will enthusiastically support him and work tirelessly with our team to give Australians the Labor government they need and deserve at the next opportunity,” Chalmers said.
It is unclear who Albanese, 56, would elect as his deputy. Tanya Plibersek, deputy leader under Shorten, is from the same faction and state as Albanese, ruling her out as his deputy.
Albanese has been a prominent figure in Australia’s transport and infrastructure sector for well over a decade.
He served as shadow minister for water and infrastructure after Kevin Rudd became Opposition leader in December 2006, and was subsequently made minister in that portfolio after Rudd was elected in 2007. He held that position under Julia Gillard’s leadership, and again under Rudd’s second term, leaving the role only when Labor was defeated at the election in 2013.
Albanese has served as infrastructure and transport shadow minister since.
While a challenger for Albanese is unlikely to emerge in Labor’s leadership race, candidates have until four days after ballots opened to nominate as party leader. Nominations formally opened on Thursday morning, May 23, meaning Albanese could be all but confirmed as leader by Monday.