Newly installed Shadow Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, has survived possible axing from the Labor frontbench over suspicions he has been undermining Mark Latham’s leadership.

Conroy will apologise in person to Latham and Shadow Cabvarchar(15) colleagues for his role in the latest round of the ALP’s leadership woes.

Latham had been planning to discipline the Senator, blaming him for damaging partyroom leaks.

Conroy has acknowledged recent party disunity and says he regrets this has occurred, as well as the publicity from the internal tensions.

“In recent times, there has been unacceptable disunity in the Federal parliamentary Labor Party.

“I absolutely regret that that has arisen and I absolutely regret the adverse publicity the party has received, which has arisen as a result.

“I will express my regret to Mark and my Shadow Cabvarchar(15) colleagues when Shadow Cabinet meets in Canberra tomorrow.” (Monday)

Latham has welcomed the comments, saying he is glad the issue has been resolved.

The Labor Leader said earlier: “In politics, disunity is death. It is obvious the party cannot afford to allow this destabilisation to continue.”

Relations between the pair have been strained for some time, and they argued privately in the wings at the recent Victorian ALP conference over factional deals for frontbench spots.

Conroy is a Victorian senator, who was elected in April 1996, and took over only a month ago as Labor’s new Communications’ spokesperson from Lindsay Tanner.

He is the Opposition’s Deputy Senate Leader and has been a shadow minister in numerous portfolios since October 1998: Financial Services and Regulation; Finance, Small Business and Financial Services; Trade and Corporate Governance, Financial Services and Small Business; and Trade, Corporate Governance and Financial Services.