Labor’s chief Voice campaigner Linda Burney was visibly shaking and fighting back tears as she resigned from politics.
Anthony Albanese announced at a press conference in Sydney on Thursday thatIndigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor will step down at the next federal election, due by May 2025.
The announcement has allowed the prime minister to make the first changes to his ministry, which has remained unchanged since the May 2022 election.
On Thursday, he gushed about Ms Burney’s career saying she had lived ‘an incredible life’ and suffered hardship, having lost her husband and son.
‘Anyone who has the honour of calling Linda a friend understands the great strength behind her warmth and the courage that is the essence of her grace,’ he said.
‘The discrimination, hardship and loss she had to overcome in her life is more than most of us can comprehend.’
When she got up to speak, Ms Burney – who oversaw the failed Voice referendum – said: ‘I will not promise that I won’t cry.’
‘After 21 years in politics, eight years in the federal parliament and 13 years in the NSW Parliament, it’s time for me to pass on the baton to the next generation,’ she said.
Her voice trembled when she spoke about her personal circumstances: ‘I have been through more than my fair share of life’s ups and down.’
Linda Burney (pictured) was emotional when she resigned as Indigenous Australians Minister on Thursday
Left to right: Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor, PM Anthony Albanese, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney
She paused – trying to hold her emotions back – nervously adjusting her glasses.
‘But I think I have done it with kindness, grace, resilience, intelligence, and integrity,’ she said, eventually.
‘Of course, the Voice referendum, as the Prime Minister said, didn’t deliver the outcome we had hoped, but I think history will treat it kindly.’
She thanked the Prime Minister, adding ‘I’m going to call you Anthony today’.
‘To you, Anthony, thank you for always being by my side, for your support and your friendship.’
Mr Albanese said the two departures from the ministry would ‘enable a refresh and enable some new ministers to be able to take their place and take us forward over the coming months before the election’.
He then touted a united cabinet in his first two years in office.
‘No government in living memory has had the same cabinet and ministerial positions for its first two years in office,’ he said.
Minister for Skills Brendan O’Connor (pictured) announced his resignation on Thursday
The announcement paves the way for Mr Albanese to do a cabinet reshuffle, with speculation Immigration Minister Andrew Giles is set to be sacked.
However, the prime minister dodged questions about Mr Giles on Thursday.
‘What does a reshuffle mean for ministers like Andrew Giles and his future?’ a reporter asked.
He replied: ‘It means that there’ll be a reshuffle on Sunday.
‘I’m not going to speculate about all of the outcomes. We have caucus processes that will be respected.’
Mr Albanese has called for caucus nominations for the front bench.
He will announce the new ministerial line-up on a Sunday in Canberra and the new ministers will be sworn in on Monday morning.
‘We have also been an incredibly stable government. No government in living memory has had the same cabinet and ministerial positions for its first two years in office,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘At the next election, I will be seeking to be the first Prime Minister since John Howard in 2004 to serve out a term and be re-elected as Prime Minister.’
