The Prime Minister has confirmed he plans to announce a cabinet reshuffle on Sunday, as he announced that Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, alongside Skills Minister Brendan O'Connor, will step down from the ministry.
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Anthony Albanese told journalists in Sydney on Thursday that the two ministers would not contest the next election, and would step down from their roles to enable others to take their place.
"I am proud to call them my friends. I'm proud to have witnessed firsthand their passion for this nation," he said.
"Their determination to leave the country better for their contribution as members of parliament and as ministers."
Mr Albanese said the retirements would allow for a refresh of the front bench, confirming reports that he would announce a new ministerial line up on Sunday in Canberra, to be sworn in on Monday.
![Skills Minister Brendan O'Connor, left and Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will retire from politics. Pictures by Keegan Carroll and Gary Ramage Skills Minister Brendan O'Connor, left and Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will retire from politics. Pictures by Keegan Carroll and Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/3BUUzmFAhrhLyX9rFCubPq5/2018db72-191a-400a-be83-fdd3d519b98c.jpg/r0_0_2560_1439_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Albanese also touted his government as having been "incredibly stable" over its time in office, as he forecast his bid for a second term in the top job.
Expectations of new ministers swirl
The announcement follows days of speculation about an impending cabinet reshuffle by Mr Albanese to refresh his front bench ahead of the next election, which is due by May at the latest.
Mr Albanese will announce his new cabinet on Sunday, when some expect that Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles could be shifted out of their politically fraught portfolios.
The pair have borne the brunt of the Coalition's political attacks over the Albanese government's handling of the High Court's contentious NZYQ ruling that indefinite detention for non-citizen criminal offenders is unconstitutional.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has been viewed for months as a frontrunner to become the new Home Affairs Minister.
Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy is widely expected to take over Ms Burney's portfolio.
Tributes paid to long-serving ministers
![Linda Burney pictured at Parliament House. Picture by Gary Ramage
Linda Burney pictured at Parliament House. Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/143258707/0b52e97d-2940-4b44-941a-ba9b391db1bb.jpg/r0_0_5764_3253_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Prime Minister sought to dedicate much of his announcement to recognising the achievements of Ms Burney and Mr O'Connor, who collectively have spent decades to politics.
He recognised Mr O'Connor for seeking to "make sure that every single day counted as a Minister", listing achievements such as establishing Jobs and Skills Australia, negotiating a National Skills Agreement and promoting TAFE to more Australians.
Mr Albanese highlighted Ms Burney's many breakthrough moments, saying, "Linda was born into an Australia where she was treated as a second class citizen and wasn't recognised yet - her life is a record of profound firsts."
"The first Indigenous student to graduate from her teacher's college, the first Indigenous person elected to the New South Wales lower house where she served as a minister but also rose to the heights of being the deputy Labor leader in New South Wales," he said.
"She then went on to become the first Indigenous woman elected to the Australian House of Representatives and the first Indigenous woman to be the Minister for Indigenous Affairs."
Ms Burney's retirement after 21 years in politics comes after the Voice to parliament referendum was defeated last year.
"We see that in spite of the setback of the [Voice to Parliament] referendum last year, she has continued to advocate to make a difference to the lives of First Nations people," Mr Albanese said.