Those wanting to chart who's in the prime minister's inner sanctum need go no further than the political guests invited to his Saturday wedding.
Author
- Michelle Grattan
Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
The list of about 60 attendees for The Lodge nuptials of Albanese and Jodie Haydon included a modest but notable batch of political heavyweights (and their spouses), who form overlapping circles of the prime minister's inner cabinet, political intimates and praetorian guard.
Perhaps not since the March 2013 marriage of Jim Chalmers, who had just moved from the office of then-treasurer Wayne Swan, and Laura Anderson, adviser to then-prime minister Julia Gillard has a wedding guest list sent such interesting political messages.
But in a dramatic contrast in circumstances and atmospherics, the Chalmers' wedding, held near Byron Bay, came when a Labor government was spectacularly falling apart. The guests were visibly at sixes and sevens, and the seating plan had to be redone to keep things under a semblance of order.
On Saturday, the only sign of angst seems to have come from Albanese's dog Toto, apparently reluctant to follow down the aisle. Of skittish disposition, Toto may have also been in revolt against her owner's decision to put her in a white dress.
At the Chalmers nuptials, Gillard held a "council of war", repairing to a room to draft a new ministry. One of those reportedly in the room was Penny Wong, who is now at the very heart of Albanese's circle of intimates. Wong was finance minister at the time of the Chalmers' wedding and is now foreign minister.
There was no intrigue on Saturday. But if they'd wanted. they could have held a slimmed-down meeting of the expenditure review committee on the sidelines, its membership was so well represented. Chalmers was there (with Laura), as were Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Wong, Health Minister Mark Butler and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles.
As well as Wong, Butler and Gallagher are among Albanese's closest confidants.
Those looking into the distant future might have noted that the guest list showed no favouritism on the matter of leadership succession. All three frontrunners had invitations: Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, as well as Chalmers and Marles.
Albanese's factional back is always well-covered, even on his wedding day. Apart from Burke (from the new South Wales Right), on The Lodge lawns were Don Farrell (the man they nickname "the godfather", from the right), and Industry Minister Tim Ayres (a close Albanese mate from the New South Wales left who was promoted to cabinet after the election).
Labor's national secretary, Paul Erickson, a key player in Albanese's re-election, certainly deserved reward and received an invitation.
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
