Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles has played down secret meetings by Labor MPs attempting to push the party to the right on coal as a “total beat up”.
The group – nicknamed the Otis group after a Canberra restaurant they dined together at - reportedly wanted the party to take a softer stance on coal.
Shadow Resources Minister Joel Fitzgibbon and senior Labor Senator Don Farrell are reportedly members of the group.
Sky News understands Mr Fitzgibbon was summoned to Labor leader Anthony Albanese's office to discuss the group’s meetings.
Mr Marles dismissed the meeting between his two colleagues, telling Sky News “people have conversations all the time”.
“I don’t exactly know what conversations happen between Anthony and Joel Fitzgibbon … I don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said.
“You both know that at on any given night in this town there are group of politicians having dinner … Some emails get sent, end of story. There is really nothing in this at all.”
