New Labor leader Anthony Albanese calls for end to climate wars

Anthony Albanese has called for an end to the climate wars, saying he wants to work with Scott Morrison on an emissions reduction plan that benefits both the environment and the economy.

After being confirmed as the party’s new leader on Monday morning, the senior leftwinger has also urged more people to join the Labor party, saying the movement needs to be “larger and more inclusive” to win an election in three years’ time.

Arguing the opposition had many lessons to learn following its shock election defeat under Bill Shorten, Albanese said he believed that “conflict fatigue” was among the reasons the party had failed to convince voters of the need for change.

“People want solutions, not arguments. They have conflict fatigue,” Albanese said.

“I am a values politician, but I also say this to Scott Morrison – I’m not Tony Abbott.”

Flagging his desire to see bipartisanship on the vexed issues of constitutional recognition for indigenous Australians and climate policy, Albanese said he was prepared to work with the Coalition to develop a consensus position on a national emissions reduction plan.

“Let me say this unequivocally – the science is in, climate change is real, we must act,” Albanese said.

“Action will create jobs, it will benefit our economy and it will benefit our environment.

“The time for the ongoing conflict over these issues surely is over.”

But while indicating he was prepared to cooperate on some policy areas, Albanese also pledged to “strongly, forcefully” hold the Morrison government to account.

Albanese’s call for climate policy certainty comes as Labor’s shadow environment minister Tony Burke indicated the party could move away from its support of a direct market mechanism to tackle emissions reduction, suggesting Labor shift to a regulation and spending model, such as that being advocated by the Democrats in the US.

Albanese said he was neither a “neither a climate sceptic, nor … a market sceptic”, saying he had consulted with business about the need for policy certainty.

“They are crying out for certainty, and it is time that the government worked with the opposition to deliver that certainty going into the future.”

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has indicated the Coalition will pursue the climate policy it took to the election which centres on a $3.5bn emissions reduction fund.

Pledging to work hard over the next three years to convince people of the need to vote Labor, Albanese acknowledged the party needed to do more to “reach out” to those who didn’t support either major party at the May 18 election, while conceding Labor had a “big mountain to climb” to form government.

“I want to see a larger, more inclusive party, and the first thing I want to say to all those millions of Australians who were disappointed with our performance…(is) join up, get involved, make us stronger for the next challenge,” Albanese said.

“I am up for a hard job. I am up for hard work.

“I intend to do my best to work with the Australian people to ensure that we elect a Labor government next time.”

Flaunting his credentials as a “consultative” leader with experience across a range of portfolios, Albanese said he believed Labor should be the natural party of government that embraced both economic and social policy reform.

“We can’t judge the economy separate from the people it’s meant to serve,” Albanese said.

“It’s not in my view economic or social policy - it’s both, hand in hand.”

But he said he would “hasten slowly” on policy development after the party regrouped following last Saturday’s election defeat that has been widely blamed on the party’s expansive policy agenda.

Albanese assumes the leadership uncontested after none of his potential rivals nominated for the role.

His deputy is expected to be Victorian MP from the right faction, Richard Marles.

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The Labor caucus will meet on Thursday to endorse the positions and confirm the carve up of Albanese’s frontbench, with 16 positions to be allocated to the party’s Right faction, and 14 for Left-aligned MPs.

Albanese’s leadership rivals Chris Bowen and Jim Chalmers – both from the Right – withdrew from contention last week.

On Sunday Marles said the party faced a challenge to reconnect with the community after the election, which he called a “devastating” moment in the party’s history.

“I think it’s really important that Labor is speaking to and connecting with the broadest range of the Australian community that we possibly can,” Marles said.

“It matters that working Australians around the nation identify us as their party because that is the basis of the Labor party and we need to be making sure that we rebuild that.

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“We need to come back from what has been a very devastating moment in our history and regroup as quickly as we can so that we are as competitive as possible three years from now when the Australian people go to an election again, because I can tell you there are millions of Australians who want to see Labor put its best foot forward and provide a choice for them at the next election.”

Victorian MP Clare O’Neil, who had considered running for deputy, said she believed Marles would be “brilliant” in the role, and rejected suggestions that the party was going backwards in terms of its female representation.

Former deputy Tanya Plibersek can no longer hold the deputy’s position because she comes from the same NSW Left faction as Albanese. After initially expressing an interest in the leadership, Plibersek withdrew from the contest to make way for Albanese, citing family obligations.

“The stars haven’t aligned on this occasion to put a woman in one of those two positions,” O’Neil said.

“Let’s wait for a few days because I am pretty sure that when we step back from this, we will see a Labor party where women have got their rightful place around the shadow cabinet table.”