Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese is likely to remain a part of Julia Gillard's Cabinet after any reshuffle this week. Picture: Sam Ruttyn Source: News Limited
ANTHONY Albanese is not universally liked within the Labor Party - nobody is - but he does have more friends than most.
When Prime Minister Julia Gillard announces her reshuffle, probably today, Albanese will keep his jobs despite having been linked to moves to return Kevin Rudd to the top job.
As Leader of the House, he is the guy who keeps the minority government working, rounding up the essential votes needed and scheduling a legislative agenda which is not just manageable but successful.
Albanese is also the Infrastructure Minister, which makes him something of a 12-months-a-year Santa Claus, handing out money for roads, bridges, ports and other big things that make life easier for voters.
It's natural Labor MPs will like Albanese, including Rudd, who understands the Sydney left-winger can sway opinion in the parliamentary and wider party.
Rudd and Albanese regard themselves as friends - going back to Kim Beazley's last time as leader when the Queenslander offered his colleague a spot as deputy.
A year ago Albanese publicly backed Rudd for the leadership, in large part because of a continuing distaste for what happened to the former prime minister in June 2010.
After that ballot, Albanese offered his resignation to Gillard but she turned it down.
Albanese told colleagues he would not support any move against a sitting prime minister, and he told his good friend Wayne Swan he would never challenge him in any circumstances.
The Rudd forces - like their champion - always exaggerated what they were doing, who was following them and what consequences might occur.
This included spreading the view that Albanese was on a promise from Rudd to be the deputy if the leadership changed, and that the minister was closely involved in renewed agitating for Gillard's downfall.
According to MPs who spoke to him, Albanese made it clear that the only circumstance in which he would support a return to Rudd would be if Gillard quit and there was a clean slate - something that didn't happen and was never likely to happen.
Because Albanese was named incorrectly as one of the Rudd number crunchers - along with Chris Bowen, Kim Carr and Joel Fitzgibbon - who last Thursday gave last-minute advice to the former prime minister, he has been targeted by some commentators and those enemies he does have in the ALP.
If Albanese offered his resignation - which he says is not needed - it wouldn't be accepted by Gillard. She wants him doing the job he does and for which he is widely respected.
Dennis Atkins is The Courier-Mail's national affairs editor.
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