Australian PM announces new ministry
May 31, 2022
Canberra [Australia], May 31 (ANI/Xinhua): Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday revealed the first ministry of his new Labor government, featuring record 13 women in the 30-member team.
Linda Burney will become the first indigenous woman -- and second indigenous person -- to serve as the minister for Indigenous Australians.
Ed Husic and Anne Aly will become the first Islamic ministers in Australian history, taking on the Industry and Science and Early Childhood Education and Youth portfolios, respectively.
Deputy PM Richard Marles will be made Defence Minister and Clare O'Neil the Minister for Home Affairs.
Tanya Plibersek and Chris Bowen will be charged with delivering on Labor's climate policies as the respective Ministers for Environment and Water, and Climate Change and Energy.
The announcement of the new ministry comes 10 days after Labor claimed victory in the general election, ending nearly nine years in opposition.
On Tuesday the Australian Broadcasting Corporation projected Labor would win 77 out of 151 seats in the lower house of Parliament, the House of Representatives, meaning the party will form a majority government.
Addressing the party room for the first time since the election in Canberra on Tuesday, Albanese was committed to a less divisive brand of politics under his government.
"We need to change the way that politics operates in this country. We need to be more inclusive," he said.
"We need to be prepared to reach out. We need to be prepared to engage on those issues. We can do that in this parliament."
The new ministers will be sworn in at a ceremony at the Government House on Wednesday.
Albanese, Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher were previously sworn in on May 23. (ANI/Xinhua)
