Katharine Murphy guardian.co.uk,

Friday 28 June 2013 18.19 AEST

The new deputy Labor leader is a subtle power broker, but a crucial one

Kevin Rudd, left, and new deputy Anthony Albanese after winning the leadership spill Photograph: Gary Ramage/Newspix/Rex Featur

King-making in politics is an interesting trade.

Some court the mythology associated with that position - they style themselves deliberately in those terms, they cultivate the image.

Some do not. They mute their footfalls.

This remarkable week in federal politics, and in Labor history, has presented us with a story of contrasts. The build-up to Labor’s leadership change has seen weeks of speculation about the role that would be played by Bill Shorten of the Victorian right.

Would Shorten hold true for Julia Gillard, or would he switch camps? There was constant newspaper speculation. Interviews by Shorten himself. And then his press conference on the night of the leadership ballot to inform the public (or more pertinently, his caucus colleagues) that he was now a Rudd man. It was a public affirmation of influence.

Shorten was of course important, in the psychology of the thing, and in the practice. His declaration on the night shifted votes Kevin Rudd’s way.

But the person who had most to do with the events of this week - who was most instrumental in securing Rudd’s successful return to the prime ministership - kept himself very quiet indeed.

This fellow, on Tuesday, to Fran Kelly, on the ABC’s Radio National breakfast program, on the subject of the Labor leadership, said this: “I think I’ll leave it, Fran, for media people to interview other people from the media about what’s going on. I tell you what I do Fran, I do my job, each and every day. I leave my internal comments to internal processes. Call me old fashioned. I don’t engage in speculation. I don’t intend to in the future.”

It was Anthony Albanese, the left-winger from New South Wales, now Rudd’s deputy. If you are looking for the key kingmaker in this transaction, it was Albanese in concert with the Labor Party’s organisation in New South Wales.

NSW party secretary Sam Dastyari’s role was absolutely critical this week - and, unlike Victoria where the factions were fractured, there was an alignment in NSW between the people who mattered about what needed to be done. Dastyari directed votes go Rudd’s way, and they did. Environment minister Tony Burke was the only significant hold-out.

The role of NSW institutionally in Labor politics is to be pragmatic and ruthless when circumstances require, and NSW shifted decisively for Rudd in this week’s leadership ballot. Unlike the botch-up in March this year, where the Rudd forces blew up the leadership issue before they even had a challenger - there were no mistakes, no tactical misjudgments.

This was a precision strike.

For readers who may not know the history, Albanese is a long standing supporter of Kevin Rudd. He thought it was wrong of the Labor Party to change leaders in 2010, whatever the government’s internal troubles at that time. Bad politics, bad principle. His view on that didn’t change.

Albanese sat on the margins of the March debacle, when Rudd refused to challenge.

He did not sit on the margins this time. That activism, combined with Dastyari’s institutional support, made all the difference for Kevin Rudd.

Albanese was active, and Dastyari brought the transaction home.

It’s a fact that should not be lost in the emotional fog of a brutal, unforgettable week.

Anthony Albanese: the true king-maker behind Rudd's redemption | World news | guardian.co.uk