https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal ... 56db0.htmlDeep divisions within federal Labor over climate and tax policy have triggered fresh unrest over Anthony Albanese’s leadership after veteran MP Joel Fitzgibbon warned the party is again headed for election defeat unless it drastically changes direction.
Mr Fitzgibbon quit his shadow cabinet position on Tuesday, warning the party must dump its failed approach to climate change and stop blocking the government’s tax cuts if it is to appeal to voters in regional electorates and north Queensland. Labor's fierce internal battle over climate change has ramped up as the party grapples with three successive election defeats and declining primary votes in seats that were formerly regarded as its heartland.
Mr Fitzgibbon warned a "substantial" number of his colleagues supported his views that the party had alienated its traditional blue-collar voters and he was "very much emboldened" by the level of support he had in the Labor caucus.
His resignation was triggered by an "almighty row" between the pair in Labor’s shadow cabinet on Monday night, where sources said Mr Albanese and several colleagues lashed out at Mr Fitzgibbon for not supporting Labor’s climate and energy policies.
The long-running internal contention came to a head after Mr Fitzgibbon warned using Joe Biden's win in the United States presidential race for a new campaign for deeper and quicker emissions cuts would be "just a recipe for another election loss".
Several sources in the room said Mr Albanese screamed at Mr Fitzgibbon in an at-times heated slanging match over his statements and accused him of undermining the party.
Shadow legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus intervened, calling Mr Fitzgibbon "a disgrace". Mr Fitzgibbon responded, telling him to "shut up you idiot", three shadow ministers told this masthead.
Mr Albanese also told Mr Dreyfus to butt out of the discussion. "It was the most childish thing I have seen in all my time," one shadow minister said.
Albos losing the plot. Who else do they have? Probably a woman in there somewhere? Maybe a woman of colour? Maybe a tranny to appeal to the progs?
