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Record number of women – and a few key Queenslanders – in Labor ministry

Anthony Albanese’s new ministry has been sworn in, with a record number of women on the frontbench.

Jun 01, 2022, updated Jun 01, 2022
Lilley MP Anika Wells is one of 13 women in the new Albanese Government ministry.

Lilley MP Anika Wells is one of 13 women in the new Albanese Government ministry.

The prime minister’s 30-member frontbench was sworn in at a ceremony at Government House, with 13 women appointed to a ministerial role, and 10 of them in the cabinet.

Queensland parliamentarians also feature prominently, with Senator Murray Watt joining Treasurer Jim Chalmers in Cabinet as the new Agriculture Minister. Lilley MP Anika Wells will become Aged Care and Sports Minister.

Albanese unveiled his cabinet on Tuesday night, with a balance of new faces and MPs who had served in the previous Labor government.

“This is the largest number of women who have ever served in an Australian cabinet,” he said.

“We have an overflow of talent on our side of the parliament … it’s the most experienced incoming Labor government in our history since federation.”

The group also contains the first female Muslim minister in Anne Aly and the first Muslim to serve in cabinet with Ed Husic joining the frontbench.

The swearing in coincides with Labor securing 77 seats in the House of Representatives, after the marginal seat of Gilmore on the NSW south coast was called for incumbent Fiona Phillips.

Anika Wells is likely to be appointed to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic organising committee after a reshuffle following the federal election.

Former sport minister Richard Colbeck and Fairfax MP Ted O’Brien lost their positions on the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) after the coalition’s election defeat earlier this month.

Wells said she was “surprised and thrilled” to be given the sport portfolio.

She had been reminded of the mental health benefits of regular exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic, starting a Park Run in her local area.

She said she was looking forward to the 2032 Games.

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“As Brisbane makes its recovery from floods, we’re marching towards Brisbane 2032 to where sport also gives us the chance to shine on the world stage,” she told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

“So that’s going to be a really exciting one.”

Labor MP Milton Dick is one possibility to replace Mr O’Brien on the Olympic committee.

Dick, who may also become Speaker in the new parliament, was part of the Australian Olympic delegation which travelled to Lausanne in Switzerland in 2019 as part of the 2032 bid.

While some MPs retained their portfolios from when Labor was in opposition, there was a shake up in some key areas.

Tanya Plibersek has moved from the education portfolio to being the new environment and water minister, while education will now be held by Jason Clare.

Clare O’Neil will take on home affairs, with deputy prime minister Richard Marles also the new defence minister.

Mark Butler will be in charge of health, Tony Burke the minister for employment and the arts, while Chris Bowen will be climate change and energy minister.

Linda Burney will be just the second First Nations person to be appointed Indigenous Australians minister.

She will work alongside Pat Dodson, who was named a special envoy for reconciliation and implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

New faces to the frontbench include Anika Wells in aged care and sport, Anne Aly in early childhood and youth, and Kristy McBain in regional development, local government and territories.

Albanese congratulated his new ministry, saying the new government had a wide mix of MPs.

“This is far more representative than any government party room has ever been in our history. We are making progress,” he said.

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