Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese will drop climate spokesman Mark Butler from the key portfolio in a shake-up that aims to bridge a gulf within the party on gas fields, coal mines and greenhouse emissions.
Mr Butler, one of the party’s strongest advocates for ambitious carbon targets, will lose the portfolio of climate change and energy after months of dispute over whether Labor should make a new pledge to cut emissions by 2030 or 2035.
Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese is set to demote MP Mark Butler.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
Mr Albanese is expected to announce the reshuffle within days, with Labor health spokesman Chris Bowen named as a likely candidate to take the portfolio.
The change would be a significant shift in ownership of the climate portfolio from the left faction to the right of the party after a stand-off last year when the resources spokesman at the time, Joel Fitzgibbon, argued against setting an interim target for 2030 or 2035.
