Penny Wong warns Shorten not to damage Labor with bid to block Anthony Albanese

Wong says former Australian Labor party leader could 'undermine the very unity' he helped build before election

Labor's Senate leader, Penny Wong, has warned Bill Shorten not to damage the party's hard-won unity as she throws her support behind leftwinger Anthony Albanese to lead the opposition to the next election.

As the party embarks on an internal leadership contest that will see MPs and party members choose between Albanese and the shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, Wong issued a thinly veiled warning to Shorten to stay out of the process.