Labor’s new leadership team has been named as expected, Tanya Plibersek is the new deputy leader.

Penny Wong has retained the party’s Senate leadership and another nine women fill senior roles in the new-look Opposition.

Mackenzie Lyon reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Labor Leader Bill Shorten fronted the media this afternoon, to make the announcement.

Bill Shorten, Labor Leader: “The new Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party, Tanya Pliberseck.”

Ms Plibersek says she’s grateful for the opportunity.

Tanya Plibersek, Deputy Labor Leader: “I don’t think there are many countries in the world where someone whose parents came here with nothing but a suitcase each can end up being a member of parliament, let alone taking up the responsibility which my colleagues have entrusted me with.”

Quick to offer her congratulations on Twitter former prime minister Julia Gillard.

Eleven woman are in the shadow ministry, a level contrasting sharply with the Government’s sole female.

Bill Shorton, Labor Leader: “It presumes a very old fashioned view of the world, which says that the preponderance or majority of merit represents in the brains of purely men. That’s not right.”

Stephen Conroy’s in but Jacinta Collins is out.

Tony Burke takes the tactical role of Manager of Opposition Business.

And one new face in senior ranks New South Wales MP Michelle Rowland.

Mr Shorten says he couldn’t be any happier.

Bill Shorten, Labor Leader: “We will have zero tolerance for disunity, but beyond that we’ve got a great team and I’m very excited by the diversity, by the depth of talent.”

He’ll allocate portfolios on Friday.

Mackenzie Lyon, QUT News.