Is Linda Burney set for a historic new role? The growing speculation minister in charge of the Yes campaign could face a new challenge

EXCLUSIVE

Linda Burney has refused to deny growing speculation that she is the leading candidate to become Australia’s next governor-general.

By appointing the most senior labor minister, Ms Burney, 66, would become the first Aboriginal Australian to ever become head of state.

When Daily Mail Australia asked her about the speculation, she did not deny that she had at least been considered as a successor to outgoing Governor-General David Hurley.

“The minister declines to comment,” a spokesman for her office said.

While the position will become available in July 2024, Daily Mail Australia has been told that Anthony Albanese will make his recommendations to King Charles III by the end of the year. will judge.

Mr. Albanese and Ms. Burney are close allies and friends. Ms Burney largely credits the Prime Minister with encouraging her to run for federal politics

Mr Albanese’s office was also contacted for comment.

Mr Albanese and Ms Burney are close allies and friends, and their inner Sydney constituencies of Grayndler and Barton sit next to each other.

The Minister for Indigenous Australians, who previously held the Canterbury seat in the NSW Parliament, particularly praises the Prime Minister for encouraging her to run for federal politics.

A well-informed source told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Burney’s move to governor-general had been “in limbo for some time” and had been “openly discussed” by some in the failed Yes campaign.

At its peak, support for the Voice to Parliament was around 65 percent, but the Yes23 campaign was unable to sustain this momentum and within months support had plummeted.

Another Canberra source said Ms Burney’s move to governor-general would allow Malarndirri McCarthy to be promoted from deputy minister after the senator put in a strong performance when she was installed towards the end of the referendum campaign to promote the yes campaign.

She received widespread praise for the way she handled heated discussions and difficult questions about the proposal, which had already performed poorly in the polls.

In this role, she would serve as King Charles’ representative in Australia and carry out constitutional and ceremonial duties as Australia’s head of state

There are growing calls for the prime minister to recommend a First Nations person for the role as a step forward towards reconciliation.

The role is to act as King Charles’ representative in Australia and to carry out constitutional and ceremonial duties as Australia’s head of state.

The Governor General is the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces and is responsible for appointing ministers and swearing them in to important positions. The governor general also has the power to dismiss a prime minister if he or she has lost party support or violates the law.

These power reserves are rarely used.

Political analyst Peter van Onselen agreed that appointing an Australian Aboriginal person would contribute to reconciliation and he believed most Australians would “welcome the move”.

“I’m just not sure that person should be Linda Burney,” he said, after criticizing her ability to handle difficult questions on Indigenous Voice to Parliament and refusing to comment on her coalition opponent Jacinta Nampijinpa Price debate.

“Her poor advocacy was one of the main reasons the Yes case was lost.” She is obviously biased too. But I understand why appointing her would suit Albo.”

By appointing the most senior labor minister, Ms Burney, 66, would become the first Aboriginal Australian to ever become head of state

Mr van Onselen described Ms Burney as “a parliamentary artist”. [who] deserves to be replaced in her ministerial role.

“But it would be terrible to drop them,” he said. ‘“Imagine doing that to an Indigenous Affairs minister right after the referendum defeat.”

Mr van Onselen said either Labor senator Pat Dodson or former Liberal Ken Wyatt would be better options for the role.

Mr Dodson is often referred to as the “Father of Reconciliation”, while Mr Wyatt was Australia’s first Indigenous MP and Minister in the House of Commons.

However, Mr Dodson is receiving treatment for his cancer in Western Australia.

“Ken Wyatt would be a sign of bipartisanship.” He was a Yes supporter who was Australia’s first Indigenous MP in the House of Commons as well as its first Indigenous Affairs Minister.

Former Libera senator Eric Abetz, who is now campaign chairman of the Australian Monarchist League, told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Burney’s role in the Voice campaign should exclude her from discussions about the future governor general.

“The position of the governor general is that of protector of the Australian constitution and the Australian parliamentary system, as well as being Australia’s head of state,” he said.

Deputy Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy (left) has been touted as a potential replacement for Minister Burney’s current role, while others suggest Senator Pat Dodson (right) would be the ideal candidate for Governor-General

“The governor general cannot bring with him his pet projects or prejudices from his previous life.”

“They must leave their “concerns” behind and embrace neutrality so that all Australians can have confidence in their independence should they need to make constitutional or parliamentary decisions.

“In the current climate it would be inappropriate to appoint one of the protagonists of the recent referendum campaign.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has never shied away from his desire for Australia to break away from the monarchy and become a republic.

He made his intentions clear by appointing Matt Thistlethwaite as Deputy Minister of the Republic after his election in 2022.

At his coronation in May, he pledged allegiance to King Charles and stressed that although he was a “lifelong republican,” he had “great respect” for the king.

And he assured the public both in Australia and abroad that a referendum on whether Australia should become a republic was out of the question in the near future.

“What I don’t want to do is be a prime minister who only chairs constitutional debates,” he said at the time.