Albanese questions Shorten turn-backs
Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten look set to clash over the Labor leader's turnbacks policy. (AAP)
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese has said he has "real concerns" about how Labor's decision to adopt the government's policy to turn back asylum seeker boats was announced.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten this week announced his support for the policy, saying it must be an option should Labor be elected into government.
The move provoked anger from the Labor Left faction, and Mr Albanese on Thursday raised questions about the announcement.
"I have real concerns about the way that yesterday was conducted in terms of the announcement on asylum seekers," he told supporters a day before the ALP conference in Melbourne, according to media reports.
"I think that it is absolutely critical, critical that we always remember our need for compassion and to not appeal to our darker sides," said Mr Albanese, who lost an historic ballot of ALP grass-roots members and the federal caucus to Shorten after the 2013 election.
"Labor is at our best when we appeal to the best in society, when we represent a vision for the future - a vision of hope, for aspiration."
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