Labor's civil war: How one furious MP could spell the end of Anthony Albanese's election hopes after an explosive row in a meeting on climate policy - as he warned the party will NEVER get into power

Rumours are swirling that Joel Fitzgibbon is plotting to bring down Anthony Albanese's leadership of the Labor Party after he dramatically quit the frontbench on Tuesday.

The 58-year-old MP for the New South Wales coal-mining seat of Hunter stepped down as shadow agriculture and resources minister amid an ongoing disagreement over climate and energy policy.

Mr Fitzgibbon, a strong supporter of the gas and coal industries, believes Labor is out of touch with blue-collar workers and needs a more moderate position on climate change to make the party electable again.

Several Labor politicians said he and Mr Albanese had an explosive argument at a shadow cabinet meeting on Monday night, which was described by one frontbencher as 'the worst I've ever seen'.

Rumours are swirling that Joel Fitzgibbon is plotting to bring down Anthony Albanese's leadership of the Labor Party after he dramatically quit the frontbench on Tuesday

Another said they thought the argument was going to 'get physical' as the pair went 'hammer and tongs'. 

Climate policy spokesman Mark Dreyfus reportedly intervened and called Mr Fitzgibbon a 'disgrace', before the Hunter MP apparently shot back: 'Shut up, you idiot.'

Mr Dreyfus did not deny those words were exchanged, saying on Wednesday morning: 'I'm not going to discuss what happened in shadow cabinet.' 

Mr Fitzgibbon admitted to having the argument, telling ABC radio: 'It's fair to say that Anthony and I have had some pretty significant dust-ups in recent days and recent weeks and recent months.'  

On Tuesday Mr Fitzgibbon said he had 'no intention' of trying to oust Mr Albanese but would if enough colleagues asked him to.

Mr Fitzgibbon (pictured with his wife), a strong supporter of the gas and coal industries, believes the party is out of touch with blue-collar workers and wants a more moderate position on climate change to make it electable

He said he believes Mr Albanese, who trails Scott Morrison by 58 to 29 in the latest preferred prime minister Newspoll, can win the next election 'if he listens to Joel Fitzgibbon more'. 

Under Labor rules, 60 per cent of senators and MPs have to support overthrowing a leader before they can be replaced, but commentators say any number above half would pressure Mr Albanese to step down. 

On Wednesday Mr Fitzgibbon said many of his colleagues support his views.

'I have very, very significant support in the caucus for my views on the party's direction, my determination to make the party more electable,' he said.

Analysts believe it is more likely that Mr Fitzgibbon wants to pave the way for a fellow right-faction leader rather than take the reins himself.

Deputy leader Richard Marles, 53, is said to be Mr Fitzgibbon's preferred choice with shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers, 42, also in the mix. 

Mr Fitzgibbon, who almost lost his seat to One Nation in 2019, supports Labor's position of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 but fears that pushing too hard risks 'demonising' coal and gas workers. 

Mr Albanese has been attacking the Coalition on climate policy in the wake of Joe Biden's election victory which means the US - the world's second largest polluter after China - will in January have a leader who also favours a net zero 2050 goal, potentially leaving Australia even more isolated on the issue.

'I wasn't prepared to allow the cheesecloth brigade in the caucus to use Biden's win to argue for even more ambitious climate change policy,' Mr Fitzgibbon told ABC radio.

'An ambitious policy which was going to cost us another election and therefore deny us the ability to deliver for the many people who are depending on us.'

Mr Dreyfus said Mr Fitzgibbon was 'out of step' with the majority of Labor politicians.

'I don't think there's a choice here, we don't get to say no to climate change,' he told ABC radio.

Mr Morrison said he wants to achieve net zero emissions but has refused to commit to a target year. 

Several Labor politicians said Mr Fitzgibbon and Mr Albanese (pictured together) had an explosive argument at a shadow cabinet meeting on Monday night

Mr Fitzgibbon told Sunrise he supports action on climate change but is worried about acting too quickly. 

There is no doubt that the majority of Australians and in the Australian government want us to join the rest of the world,' he said.

'What concerns me, Kochie, is overreach or in other words, climate change policy which is so ambitious it is not capable of being embraced by the Australian community stopper but is not embraced by the community, which has been the case over the last two elections, then it stays in the top drawer after the election.

'You can't give effect to climate change policy if you are perpetually in Opposition.'