Australian news and politics live updates: Albanese calls for discipline after factional brawls over ministry

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spoken glowingly after cardinals in Rome named the first American pontiff overnight.

“Today is a momentous day for Catholics around the world and faithful in Australia, and I join them in congratulating their Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, Bishop of Rome, on his election,” Mr Albanese said in a statement released on Friday morning.

“As the first North American Pope, Pope Leo XIV’s leadership comes at an important time for the Catholic Church and the world.

“Australia will invite His Holiness Pope Leo to Australia for the International Eucharistic Congress being proudly hosted in 2028.

“My government looks forward to continuing Australia’s strong relationship with the Holy See under Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate.

“This is a moment which will bring joy and hope to Catholics everywhere,” Mr Albanese added.

“May the papacy of Pope Leo advance the cause of peace and social justice for all humanity.”

Sussan Ley has stated her case for the leadership of the Liberal Party on Sunrise and says she “won’t be taking a backward step”.

“I’m putting my hand up, Nat. I’m determined and convinced that I am the right person to lead the party forward at this time and I think my appointment would send a strong signal to the women of Australia,” Ms Ley told Natalie Barr.

“But it’s about much more than that. It is about the policy offering, it is about what modern Australia expects of us as Liberals and it is about working collegiately across our party.

“It is about a strong work ethic, something that I’m known for in our party and in our country.

“I’m not going to take a backward step. We can be successful and we can win the next election.

“This is a moment to look forward and really bring the Australian people with us on this journey,” Ms Ley added.

Read Aaron Patrick’s story here.

Senior Liberal figure Sussan Ley has appeared on Sunrise and confirmed she will be throwing her hat in the ring to be the party leader.

Speaking to Natalie Barr in her first interview since the crushing defeat in the election Ms Ley said she is speaking to her colleagues and crunching the numbers.

“We suffered a significant election defeat and since then, I have been having many conversations with my colleagues, members of the community and with members of the party,” she said.

“I have listened. We got it wrong and we need to do things differently going forward and we do need a fresh approach.

“So, on Tuesday morning when the Liberal Party room meets in Canberra, I will be putting myself forward for the position of leader of the Federal party.”

President Donald Trump congratulated Robert Francis Prevost after his election as Pope Thursday, making him the first American-born pontiff in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

Prevost, 69, of Chicago, will be known as Pope Leo XIV.

“It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country,” the president wrote.

“I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

​Read the full story here.​

Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first pontiff from the United States.

Pope Leo appeared on the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica about 70 minutes after white smoke billowed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel signifying the 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.

“Peace be with you all,” the Pope told the cheering crowd, speaking in fluent Italian.

He also spoke in Spanish during his brief address but did not say anything in English.

The choice of Prevost was announced by French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti with the Latin words “Habemus Papam” (We have a Pope) to tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter’s Square to hear the news.

​​Read the full story here.​​

Former Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating has slammed Labor’s Right faction for axing Ed Husic in a factional fight for ministerial positions in the wake of the party’s thumping election win.

In a strongly worded statement, Mr Keating condemned the dumping of Mr Husic to elevate an MP from Richard Marles’ Victorian Right — a faction he said was “demonstrably devoid of creativity and capacity” — as well as the removal of Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.

“The factional displacement of industry and technology minister, Ed Husic, from the Albanese cabinet represents an appalling denial of Husic’s diligence and application in bringing the core and emerging technologies of the digital age to the centre of Australian public policy,” the 81-year-old said.

“More than that, as the cabinet’s sole Muslim member, Husic’s expulsion from the ministry proffers contempt for the measured and centrist support provided by the broader Muslim community to the Labor Party at the general election.

“And for what? To keep up some notional proportional count between factions and elements of the Right of the party between states, in this case between representatives of New South Wales and Victoria.”

​Read the full story here.​

New faces will be welcomed to the fold as Labor politicians come together for the first time since their emphatic victory in the Federal Election.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will address the caucus meeting in Canberra on Friday after his party’s landslide win.

The scale of the success has taken even senior Labor ministers by surprise, lending to a buoyant feeling among the party’s members.

A record number of women will be taking their seats in parliament, with women to outnumber men in the Labor party room.

At least 46 seats will be held by women in the Labor government out of a total of 150 in the House of Representatives.

More than a dozen new MPs will join the ranks after Labor increased its seats from 77 to at least 90 as the count continues.

​Read the full story here.​

A new Pope has been named and the world is reacting to the first American pontiff’s election.

As Anthony Albanese gears up to host his first causus meeting in Canberra since Labor’s landslide victory we will follow all the reaction right here.