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Theyâre derided as faceless men, they make and break Labor leaders and they determine the policy decisions the ALP takes.
Amid recent chatter about Anthony Albaneseâs leadership, there has been speculation about whether he still has the backing of a particular faction or state group.
Factions play a crucial role in deciding the leader of the ALP (though the party membership now also gets a vote), in allocating frontbench portfolios, in choosing who gets to run for parliament, and in deciding the partyâs policy positions. But if factional divisions run too deep and the party is divided, itâs that much harder for Labor to form government.
The Write Stuff is EW s occasional series where songwriters reveal stories behind their biggest hits.
When the elements came together for Earth, Wind & Fire to release their self-titled debut in February 1971, there was indeed a new force of nature in the music world. Fifty years later, the visionary band founded by Maurice White who died from Parkinson s disease in 2016 has its own shining star in the galaxy of all-time R&B greats. When you start, you don t know if you re gonna get to 50 you don t know if you re gonna get to five, says Maurice s brother, bassist Verdine White, 69, who has been in the group for all 50 years.
Politics by Clare Armstrong
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Subscriber only A new look Labor shadow cabinet will be unveiled by leader Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Thursday amid heavy speculation he will dump his energy and climate change spokesman. Speaking at a primary school in Canberra on Thursday morning, Mr Albanese refused to answer any questions about his frontbench. I will be making an announcement at an appropriate time later today in Parliament House, he said. I m not going to comment on speculation, what you ll have is a full announcement of our reshuffle. Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: Gaye Gerard Mr Albanese did give a strong indication reports Mark Butler would be shifted from the contentious energy and climate portfolio in favour of current health spokesman Chris Bowen, were correct.
The Australian.
Senator Bridget McKenzie shopping at Bunnings in Wodonga, Victoria, alongside News Corp s Simon Benson.
Credit:Twitter
For those on holidays last week, news about the relationship broke after the pair were photographed at the checkout of Wodonga Bunnings sharing a joke but sans masks - despite a Victorian Health ruling. Feminist activists Mad F ing Witches circulated the image on social media and attacked the maskless McKenzie. But they initially failed to identify her shopping buddy Benson, whose day job is
The Australianâs national affairs editor. Of course if they had masked up, no-one would have been the wiser.