Welcome Deputy PM Albo

Grayndler MP Anthony Albanese was already a busy man, as Leader of the House and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. To that he adds the Deputy Prime Ministership and the communications portfolio, following the cabinet resignations when Kevin Rudd returned to the Labor leadership last week.

Responsibility for the regions and local government has been passed to new cabinet minister Catherine King.

Mr Albanese has held the seat of Grayndler – which takes in Leichhardt, Newtown, Marrickville, Ashfield and Tempe among others – since 1996. In 2007 he won with more than 55 per cent of the primary vote, but suffered a swing of almost 10 per cent in 2010, and now holds the seat by a margin of only 4.2 per cent.

But on the streets this week, Mr Albanese proved a popular figure. Jerry O’Sullivan, a health administrator from Haberfield, said he welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister’s elevation.

“He’s a pretty good political survivor, I like the idea of him still being there,” he said.

“I’m happy Rudd is back in only because I think that Abbott has now got a contest. He will make the election a bit more interesting.”

Another Haberfield resident, Kelvin Yu, said he thought Mr Albanese would “be a great Deputy Prime Minister”.

“When I first migrated to Australia, [he] was the local member for Grayndler and he has always worked hard for the local community and migrants in particular,” he said.

Mr Albanese’s main rival at the next election will be Greens candidate Hall Greenland, who said he expects Labor will form government under Mr Rudd’s leadership.

“I’m quietly confident that the Abbott Coalition won’t win at the next election,” he said.

Mr Greenland said he expected to benefit from Mr Albanese’s ascent because “people who wish to vote for real reform and principled representation don’t have to panic so much about an Abbott Government”.

He nominated climate policy, university cuts and local issue such as airport noise and the “crazy” WestConnex Motorway as issues on which he will campaign.

“Anthony is offside with the majority of his electorate on many issues,” Mr Greenland said. While preference flows had not been finalised, he noted the Greens had always preferenced Labor ahead of the Coalition in Grayndler.

Mr Albanese’s office did not provide comment before deadline.