Anthony Albanese
Anthony Albanese is Labor's Parliamentary go-to man, a bloke with willingness and enthusiasm for fronting up – whether at the Dispatch Box, to protesters or even in backing a losing leadership candidate. But his underappreciated infrastructure funding legacy will last longer than his ability to fire up at opponents.
Despite the powerbroker label, Albanese has an abominable record in Labor leadership ballots, having backed the wrong candidate repeatedly since 2003. The most recent, in March, when he backed Kevin Rudd and offered his resignation to Julia Gillard, was taken in full knowledge he'd be backing a losing cause. But his emotional explanation for his support for the former Prime Minister was in sharp contrast to the firebombing that Gillard supporters were engaged in. Albanese emerged, remarkably, with his reputation enhanced.
As Albanese noted at the time of the leadership spill, he fronts up. He fronted up last year when a crowd of anti-carbon tax protesters besieged his office. Albanese went out, endured their abuse for 20 minutes and welcomed them to "the multicultural heart of Australia," words likely to infuriate the old reactionaries in attendance
Anthony Albanese is Labor's Parliamentary go-to man, hmm.
God give me strength.