Anthony Albanese under fire over huge decision in Cabinet reshuffle: 'Shocking message'

Anthony Albanese has copped heavy criticism after he dumped two ministers and gave their jobs to a single MP, who now has four portfolios to manage.

The Prime Minister used a press conference on Sunday afternoon to announce the first cabinet reshuffle since Labor was elected in 2022.

He dumped the Minister for Home Affairs Clare O'Neil and the Minister for Immigration Andrew Giles and gave their portfolios to Tony Burke, who had been managing employment and workplace relations.

Mr Burke is now in charge of home affairs, cyber security, immigration and multicultural affairs, and he will retain his position as arts minister and leader of the house. 

When the PM was asked whether Mr Burke was up to the task, he replied: 'He is certainly up for it.'

'What it means is that in terms of a department, there will be one person who will be responsible for it. I gave a lot of thought to the appropriate structure.'

However, not everyone was convinced.

Senator James Patterson, the shadow minister for home affairs and cyber security, slammed the decision.

He pointed out that Mr Burke has reprised his role as immigration minister, having first held the job during the Rudd-Gillard Labor government in 2013.

After the press conference on Sunday, he wrote on X: 'Tony Burke is a failed immigration minister from the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era. 

'On his watch, in just 80 days as minister, 6,634 illegal arrivals showed up on 83 boats. 

'His appointment to Home Affairs sends a shocking message of weakness to people smugglers.'

Senator Patterson also took aim at the fact that the PM had decided to move ASIO from home affairs to the Attorney-General's department.

He continued: 'And with the news ASIO is moving to Attorney Generals, Tony Burke will be Minister for Home Affairs in name only. 

'Labor has completed the destruction of the Home Affairs portfolio as they always secretly wanted to - but never bothered to tell the electorate.'

Another social media user said: 'An interesting reshuffle, Tony Burke becomes Labor's anti-Dutton while still keeping leader of the house. 

'A sign that Labor have serious concerns about how things have been going.'

Some commented on the size of the workload, while others likened the restructure to reshuffling deckchairs on the Titanic.

But not everyone was skeptical.

Mr Burke received high praise from the unions, with ACTU secretary Sally McManus congratulating him on his 'groundbreaking' work in the employment portfolio.

During his time in employment, Mr Burke delivered a series of policy demands of the union movement which the Coalition largely ignored during almost ten years in office.

Policies included minimum pay rates for gig economy workers, making it easier for casual workers to transition to full-time employment, and a crackdown on labour and contractors.

Ms McManus said: 'Minister Burke methodically went about fixing the broken workplace rules and was influenced only by what was right and necessary to make lives better for workers and for the economy.' 

'I don’t believe any Workplace Relations Minister has left such a huge legacy and he has achieved it in just over two years. Working people into the future will benefit from his work, we wish him well in his next portfolio.'

Ben Davison, a long-time union activist who hosts a political podcast with his Guardian columnist wife Van Badham, said: 'Congratulations to Tony Burke on becoming minister for home affairs, immigration, multicultural affairs and cybersecurity while continuing to serve as the Minister for the Arts.'

During the press conference, a reporter asked Mr Albanese what the rationale was for giving Mr Bourke so much responsibility.

'Isn't it a case of a bit of overly fair for your Leader of the House - overloaded there for your Leader of the House?

The PM replied: 'No, he is certainly up for it, and what it means is that in terms of a department, there will be one person who will be responsible for it.

'I gave a lot of thought to the appropriate structure. That is one of the reasons the structure is there. One Minister and then two junior assistants to them is, I think, the right structure.'

He defended Ms O'Neil and Mr Giles, insisting they had not failed in their roles - there was a reshuffle and positions had been rearranged.

The announcement on Sunday was the result of Indigenous Australians minister and skills and training ministers Linda Burney and Brendan O'Connor announcing their resignations on Friday. 

Northern Territory senator Malarndirri McCarthy will take over Ms Burney's role and Mr Giles will move into Mr O'Connor's former position.