Labor reshuffle: Anthony Albanese elevates Richard Marles to new super portfolio

Mark Butler has been moved from climate change to health and ageing, replaced by former treasurer Chris Bowen

Anthony Albanese has elevated his deputy, Richard Marles, to a super portfolio while clipping the wings of Jim Chalmers, Tanya Plibersek and Clare O'Neil in a frontbench reshuffle intended to shore up his leadership and sharpen Labor's messaging ahead of a possible election later this year.

Marles, the Victorian rightwinger and previous shadow defence minister, has been handed a new portfolio of national reconstruction post Covid-19 - which encompasses employment, skills and small business - and Albanese has elevated Brendan O'Connor, the Victorian leftwinger who backed Bill Shorten to become Labor leader over Albanese in the 2013 leadership contest, to defence.