Australian columnist Peter van Onselen reports that Labor MPs have privately expressed frustration that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may intend to remain in office into his 70s, seeking to surpass John Howard as the country's second-longest-serving prime minister. While there is no active leadership challenge and Albanese's authority within caucus remains secure, the grumbling reflects deeper unease about generational renewal being blocked by senior figures who held ministerial roles during the troubled Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era.

To overtake Howard, Albanese would need to stay in power until February 2034, requiring election wins in both 2028 and 2031 after already winning in 2022 and 2025. The article notes that 11 members of the current cabinet, including Penny Wong, Tanya Plibersek and Richard Marles, previously served as ministers before Labor's 2013 defeat, and argues that the government risks repeating past mistakes on tax, energy and spending policy despite prizing leadership stability as an achievement in itself.