Home Australia Why this single photo featuring Anthony Albanese has just made Australian history

Why this single photo featuring Anthony Albanese has just made Australian history

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Pictured, left to right: Early Years Minister Anne Aly, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and People's Care Minister older, Anika Well. The federal cabinet has equal representation of both genders for the first time

Three women have been sworn in as ministers to take over outgoing former Labor leader Bill Shorten’s portfolios as the federal cabinet reaches gender parity.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth took on the NDIS in her portfolio and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher took on her other government services minister role.

Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly has become deputy NDIS minister.

Governor-General Sam Mostyn swore in the three at a ceremony at Government House in Canberra on Monday.

The promotion of Sports and Aged Care Minister Anika Wells to the cabinet to replace Shorten means that of the 22 ministers, 11 are men and 11 women, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at the ceremony.

“(It’s) the first time in Australian history, since federation, that we’ve had equal representation in the Australian government cabinet,” he said.

While Mr Shorten’s inner Melbourne electorate of Maribyrnong will not have an elected representative in Canberra for the time being, no by-election is expected to be held for the safe Labor seat as an election is on the horizon.

Polls show the opposition is gaining ground with Labor expected to be pushed into the minority.

Pictured, left to right: Early Years Minister Anne Aly, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and People’s Care Minister older, Anika Well. The federal cabinet has equal representation of both genders for the first time

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth (left) is sworn in by Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth (left) is sworn in by Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

Albanese said Labor needed a second term to build on the foundations laid in the first as inflation moderates, cost of living pressures are addressed and the nation transitions to renewable energy as a net zero economy. .

“We will have more to say about how we strengthen Medicare, about how we continue to create that Australian Made Future that is at the heart of our economic policy agenda,” he said.

The plan refers to the government’s focus on expanding domestic industries rather than exporting resources such as critical minerals to be processed abroad and then bought back.

Although no election date has been set, both the Prime Minister and opposition leader Peter Dutton have wasted little time in reaching key marginal seats.

Dutton on Monday called for a mandatory minimum prison term of six years for all acts of terrorism under Commonwealth laws to combat rising anti-Semitism after a series of arson attacks and anti-Semitic graffiti in Sydney and Melbourne.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher (left) takes the oath of office before Governor General Sam Mostyn

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher (left) takes the oath of office before Governor General Sam Mostyn

The opposition will push to make it a hate crime to urge or threaten violence towards a place of worship, punishable by five years in prison or seven if it is an aggravated crime.

It will also introduce a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison for the public display of Nazi symbols and symbols of banned terrorist organizations – which are already illegal – and increase the maximum prison sentence to five years.

Dutton has tried to portray Albanese as a weak leader by attacking him for his lack of action to curb rising anti-Semitism.

He also seized on Labour’s failure to introduce gambling reform laws, following a landmark report by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy recommending a ban on betting adverts, to criticize Albanese for being incapable of making decisions.

“The prime minister, following the death of one of his MPs, who was very passionate about this issue, committed to reforming and changing the law in this area,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“We’re in an election and obviously the Prime Minister is not going to introduce this legislation, so it’s just another demonstration of the weakness of the leadership.”

MelbourneAnthony Albanese

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