In an extraordinary public rebuke, Husic argued that Richard Marles was not a statesman and even suggested his own views on the conflict in Gaza led to his demise.
“The difficult issue here is that we’ve had bare-faced ambition and a deputy prime minister wield a factional club to reshape the ministry,” Husic told the ABC on Sunday.
Husic served as the science and industry minister during Anthony Albanese’s first term as prime minister but was reportedly axed to balance state factions within the party.
The decision followed Labor increasing its majority after last week’s federal election, with estimates now suggesting the party could have as many as 92 MPs.
That increase shifted the party’s composition towards the faction of right-wing Victorian MPs, led by Marles, and away from right-wing NSW MPs, including Husic.
“I think people, when they look at a deputy prime minister, they expect to see a statesman, not a factional assassin,” Husic said.
“I just feel for the supporters of our party, who went from the high of a Saturday and a terrific and tremendous win … I just feel like it’s been a distraction at the start of what’ll be a successful second term.”
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Husic added that while he respected the need for factions to manage merit and ambition, Marles would have to answer for his personal role in his demotion.
He also blamed the change on his decision to speak out over the conflict in Gaza, arguing that you “can’t celebrate diversity and expect it to sit in a corner silent”.
“I certainly took the view you need to speak up for the communities you care about,” he added. “I certainly tried to help us navigate wretchedly difficult issues, such as Gaza post the horrors of October 7.
“I don’t think I could ever stay silent in the face of innocent civilians slaughtered in tens of thousands, starved out of Gaza.”
The Labor federal government has faced huge criticism from the space industry for its decision to pull billions of dollars in funding, including the $1 billion National Space Mission for Earth Observation (NSMEO) and the $3 billion JP 9102 project.
The latter decision, though, was likely taken by the defence industry minister, rather than Husic.
Last year, the chairman of the Space Industry Association said he believed companies would now think twice about working with Defence after the cuts.
“While other OECD nations see sovereign space capability as critical to creating high-tech, high-value jobs and a military advantage, in our own backyard, we seem to be doing the exact opposite,” he said.
Following the initial report in The Australian, the federal government confirmed the axing of JP 9102, but said the decision was because the planned single orbit GEO-based satellite communications system would not “meet strategic priorities”.
It said Defence would instead prioritise “a multi-orbit capability” and that its current SATCOM capabilities already supported Australia’s immediate needs.
The statement, which was just 187 words, thanked winning prime Lockheed Martin and said the company “continues to be a highly valued industry partner”.
Later, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy told Space Connect’s sister brand, Defence Connect, that the “money still resides” in JP 9102 and would be invested elsewhere.
“We were putting all our eggs in one basket, and that basket was exposed,” he said.
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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