Joel Fitzgibbon quits Labor frontbench

HUNTER Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon has quit the shadow cabinet and will move to the back bench, due to conflicting views about Labor’s climate change policy.

His position as the Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Resources will be open effective immediately and he said he is still running for the Hunter seat at the next election.

“I want labour to have a climate change policy which is meaning full, I’m a serious believer that the climate is changing . . . and government should act but we are in opposition,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“If you begin demonising coal workers, coal generation workers, you’re immediately demonising oil and gas workers, power generation workers.

“By the time that message gets through, you’re demonising manufacturing workers and it goes on and on.”

Mr Fitzgibbon said he made the decision 18 months ago, after the 2019 election and was “determined to stick with it.”

He said he Labor leader Anthony Albanese was aware of his decision and he is confident he will lead the party to victory at the next election.

“Anthony Albanese has my support,” he said.