Federal election 2025: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese doubles down on third term ambition

Anthony Albanese says he is leading the most united Labor team he has ever seen in his career, as he doubles down on his ambition to seek a third term should he be re-elected on May 3.

The comments come after The Nightly exclusively revealed Mr Albanese’s plan to fight a third election in 2028 if he was successfully returned next month.

“I’m not looking over my back. I’m looking forward. And we have an incredibly united caucus,” he said.

Asked whether it was hubristic and whether he would try and beat Bob Hawke’s record, Mr Albanese reiterated that “if elected, I’ll serve a full term”.

“I think that’s what the Australian people would expect of me. And that is the context of that answer. I’ll tell you what - I don’t take anything for granted on May 3,” he said.

“I’m trying to climb the mountain here. I’m trying to be the first prime minister since John Howard in 2004 (to be re-elected) - it’s been 21 years, we’ve had a revolving door. I don’t think, objectively, that’s in the interests of Australia.”

The unexpected revelation comes as the Prime Minister fights for his political life after a poor first-term, clawing back his popularity poll by poll.

He is hoping to win a second term and retain the Labor party’s three-seat majority to avoid slipping into minority government.

Sunday’s awkward interaction between the Prime Minister and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek also continued to dog Mr Albanese today.

Asked why he could guarantee Jim Chalmers, Penny Wong, Richard Marles, Don Farrell and Katy Gallagher would remain in their posts in any event of a flagged post-election reshuffle but not Ms Plibersek - Mr Albanese sad there is a “market reason” why economic ministers would be maintained.

“The four leaders get the opportunity to have a direct say in what their portfolios are,” he said.

Asked for a guarantee that Ms Plibersek would remain in the portfolio for three years, Mr Albanese said he gave “the same answer yesterday that I’ll give today”.

“I expect Tanya Plibersek will be a senior cabinet minister. She’s an important member of my team. But I’m not getting ahead of myself and naming all 22 or all - actually, all 42 portfolios - on the frontbench,” he said.

“I’m not getting into that. She’ll be treated exactly as everyone else. But, Tanya Plibersek will play an important role in my government. She’ll be a senior cabinet minister, as she’s continued to be.”

Mr Albanese’s goal to continue his leadership of the Labor party beyond nine years would bring an end to the decade of Australia’s revolving door of prime ministers that Julia Gillard started in 2010 when she knifed Kevin Rudd for the prime ministership, turning his 2007 landslide win into a minority that eventually led to Labor’s ejection from office in 2013.

However, if Mr Albanese serves another full term he would overtake Paul Keating to become Labor’s second-longest serving prime minister post-war behind Bob Hawke.

He will overtake Gough Whitlam to become the third-longest serving Labor prime minister by election day.