Albanese ministry explained

Cabinet Name:Albanese ministry
Cabinet Type:ministry
Cabinet Number:73rd
Jurisdiction:Australia
Flag:Flag of Australia.svg
Flag Border:true
Date Formed:23 May 2022
Government Head:Anthony Albanese
Deputy Government Head:Richard Marles
Members Number:30 (plus 12 Assistant Ministers and 4 Special Envoys)
Political Party:Labor
Legislature Status:Majority government
Opposition Cabinet:Dutton Shadow Cabinet
Opposition Party:LiberalNational coalition
Opposition Leader:Peter Dutton
Election:21 May 2022
Legislature Term:47th
Predecessor:Second Morrison ministry
State Head Title:Monarch
Government Head Title:Prime Minister
Deputy Government Head Title:Deputy Prime Minister

The Albanese ministry is the 73rd ministry of the Government of Australia. It is led by the country's 31st Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. The Albanese ministry succeeded the second Morrison ministry, which resigned on 23 May 2022 following the federal election that took place on 21 May which saw Labor defeat Scott Morrison's LiberalNational Coalition.

Although counting was still underway on election night, most media outlets projected that due to severe losses by Morrison's Liberal/National Coalition, Labor was the only party that could realistically form even a minority government. Accordingly, Morrison conceded defeat to Albanese late on election night. Soon afterward, in accordance with longstanding Australian constitutional practice, he advised the Governor-General, David Hurley, that he was no longer in a position to govern. Normally, Morrison would have stayed on as caretaker Prime Minister until the final results were known. However, with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue due to be held on 24 May 2022, Albanese advised Hurley that he could form a government. Hurley then swore in Albanese and four senior Labor frontbenchers as an interim five-person ministry on 23 May, two days after the election. According to ABC News, Hurley would not have invited Albanese to form a government without assurances that Labor could provide stable government, as well as legal advice that this was the proper course of action.[1] [2] According to the Australian Financial Review, Albanese had secured enough support from crossbenchers to be able to govern in the event Labor fell short of a majority.[3] On 30 May 2022, Australian media outlets projected that Labor had won enough seats in the House of Representatives to become a majority government.[4]

After the swearing-in of the interim arrangement, during his first press conference as prime minister, Albanese announced that his first full ministry would be sworn in on 1 June 2022.[5] The members of the ministry were announced on 31 May and sworn in the following day.

Current arrangement (2024–present)

Albanese announced on the 25 July 2024 that he would refresh his ministry after two cabinet minsters, indigenous affairs minister Linda Burney and skills minister Brendan O'Connor announced that they would retire at the next Australian federal election, and also immediately step down from the ministry.[6] On 27 July 2024, Carol Brown also announced she would step down from the assistant ministry due to health reasons.[7]

Albanese announced the new ministry on 28 July 2024. Malarndirri McCarthy and Jenny McAllister were selected unopposed by their Labor Left faction to replace Burney and O'Connor as ministers.[8] McCarthy and Pat Conroy were elevated to cabinet. McCarthy, who was previously the assistant indigenous affairs minister, was appointed as the new indigenous affairs minister, while there were no changes to Conroy's portfolios (defence industry and international development). Tony Burke gained the home affairs, cyber security and immigration portfolios from Clare O'Neil and Andrew Giles, while retaining his arts minister portfolio and his position as Leader of the House. Burke's previous employment portfolio was gained by Murray Watt. Watt's agriculture portfolio was given to Julie Collins, which Collins previously held while in opposition. Collins retained her small businesses portfolio while losing the housing and homelessness portfolios to O'Neil.[7]

Giles succeeded O'Connor as skills minister and remained in the outer ministry. Jenny McAllister was promoted to the outer ministry and was appointed as cities minister and emergency services minister, taking over the latter portfolio from Watt.[7]

Kate Thwaites, Josh Wilson and Julian Hill were new additions to the assistant ministry, with Thwaites and Hill having new portfolios, while Wilson succeeded McAllister as assistant climate change minister. McCarthy's previous role as assistant indigenous affairs minister and Brown's previous role as assistant infrastructure and transport minister were not replaced, while McCarthy's role as assistant indigenous health minister was gained by assistant health minister Ged Kearney. Three other assistant ministers also gained new portfolios in addition to their existing ones: Patrick Gorman as Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General, Tim Ayres as Assistant Minister for a Future Made In Australia, and Anthony Chisholm as Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Matt Thistlethwaite was appointed as Assistant Minister for Immigration, with his previous portfolios removed without replacement.[7]

The new ministry was sworn in the following day on 29 July 2024.[7]

Outer ministry

PartyMinisterPortraitPortfolio
  LaborHon Matt Keogh
for Burt
 Hon Stephen Jones
for Whitlam
 Hon Andrew Giles
for Scullin
 Hon Dr Anne Aly
for Cowan
 Hon Anika Wells
for Lilley
 Hon Kristy McBain
for Eden-Monaro
  Hon Jenny McAllister
Senator for New South Wales

Assistant ministry

PartyMinisterPortraitPortfolio
 LaborHon Justine Elliot
for Richmond
  • Assistant Minister for Social Services
  • Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence
  Hon Matt Thistlethwaite
for Kingsford Smith
  • Assistant Minister for Immigration
  Hon Dr Andrew Leigh
for Fenner
  • Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury
  • Assistant Minister for Employment
 Patrick Gorman
for Perth
  • Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister
  • Assistant Minister for the Public Service
  • Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General
  Ged Kearney
for Cooper
  • Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care
  • Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health
  Emma McBride
for Dobell
  • Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
  • Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health
  Tim Ayres
Senator for New South Wales
  • Assistant Minister for a Future Made In Australia
  • Assistant Minister for Trade
  Anthony Chisholm
Senator for Queensland
  • Assistant Minister for Education
  • Assistant Minister for Regional Development
  • Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
  • Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate
  Tim Watts
for Gellibrand
  • Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs
  Kate Thwaites
for Jagajaga
  • Assistant Minister for Social Security
  • Assistant Minister for Ageing
  • Assistant Minister for Women
  Josh Wilson
for Fremantle
  • Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy
  Julian Hill for Bruce
  • Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs

Special envoys

Special envoys are additional roles that are not part of the ministry, but have been included here because of their status.

PartyMinisterPortraitPortfolio
 LaborNita Green
Senator for Queensland
Susan Templeman
for Macquarie
  • Special Envoy for the Arts
Tony Sheldon
Senator for New South Wales
  • Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery
Peter Khalil
for Wills
  • Special Envoy for Social Cohesion
Luke Gosling
for Solomon
  • Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans’ Affairs and Northern Australia
Andrew Charlton
for Parramatta
  • Special Envoy for Cyber Security and Digital Resilience

First arrangement (2022–2024)

Albanese announced the composition of the full ministry on 31 May 2022.[9] [10] [11] As Labor frontbenchers Kristina Keneally and Terri Butler lost their seats in the election, Clare O'Neil and Murray Watt were chosen by Albanese as replacements in cabinet while the caucus chose Anne Aly, Anika Wells and Kristy McBain to replace them as ministers.[12] The ministry was sworn in on 1 June 2022.[13]

Tony Sheldon was later appointed on the 24 July 2022 as the Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery while Pat Dodson left his role as Special Envoy for Reconciliation and Implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart when he retired on 26 January 2024.[14] [15] On 31 May 2023, assistant ministers Patrick Gorman and Andrew Leigh were additionally appointed Assistant Minister for the Public Service and Assistant Minister for Employment respectively.[16]

Cabinet

PartyFaction[17] [18] MinisterPortraitPortfolio
  LaborLeftHon Anthony Albanese
for Grayndler
  RightHon Richard Marles
for Corio
 LeftHon Penny Wong
Senator for South Australia
 RightHon Dr Jim Chalmers
for Rankin
 LeftHon Katy Gallagher
Senator for Australian Capital Territory
 RightHon Don Farrell
Senator for South Australia
 Hon Tony Burke
for Watson
 LeftHon Mark Butler
for Hindmarsh
 RightHon Chris Bowen
for McMahon
 LeftHon Tanya Plibersek
for Sydney
 Hon Catherine King
for Ballarat
 RightHon Amanda Rishworth
for Kingston
  Hon Bill Shorten
for Maribyrnong
 LeftHon Linda Burney
for Barton
  RightHon Mark Dreyfus
for Isaacs
 LeftHon Brendan O'Connor
for Gorton
 RightHon Jason Clare
for Blaxland
 LeftHon Julie Collins
for Franklin
 RightHon Michelle Rowland
for Greenway
 Hon Madeleine King
for Brand
 LeftHon Murray Watt
Senator for Queensland
 RightHon Ed Husic
for Chifley
 Hon Clare O'Neil
for Hotham

Outer ministry

PartyMinisterPortraitPortfolio
  LaborHon Matt Keogh
for Burt
 Hon Pat Conroy
for Shortland
 Hon Stephen Jones
for Whitlam
 Hon Andrew Giles
for Scullin
 Hon Dr Anne Aly
for Cowan
 Hon Anika Wells
for Lilley
 Hon Kristy McBain
for Eden-Monaro

Assistant ministry

PartyMinisterPortraitPortfolio
  LaborHon Justine Elliot
for Richmond
  • Assistant Minister for Social Services
  • Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence
  Hon Matt Thistlethwaite
for Kingsford Smith
  • Assistant Minister for Defence
  • Assistant Minister for Veterans' Affairs
  • Assistant Minister for the Republic
  Hon Dr Andrew Leigh
for Fenner
  • Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury
  • Assistant Minister for Employment (from 31 May 2023)
 Patrick Gorman
for Perth
  • Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister
  • Assistant Minister for the Public Service (from 31 May 2023)
  Jenny McAllister
Senator for New South Wales
  • Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy
  Carol Brown
Senator for Tasmania
  • Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
  Ged Kearney
for Cooper
  • Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care
  Emma McBride
for Dobell
  • Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
  • Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health
  Malarndirri McCarthy
Senator for the Northern Territory
  • Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians
  • Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health
  Tim Ayres
Senator for New South Wales
  • Assistant Minister for Trade
  • Assistant Minister for Manufacturing
  Anthony Chisholm
Senator for Queensland
  • Assistant Minister for Education
  • Assistant Minister for Regional Development
  • Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate
  Tim Watts
for Gellibrand
  • Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs

Special envoys

Special envoys are additional roles that are not part of the ministry, but have been included here because of their status.[10]

PartyMinisterPortraitPortfolio
  LaborPat Dodson
Senator for Western Australia
Nita Green
Senator for Queensland
Susan Templeman
for Macquarie
  • Special Envoy for the Arts
Tony Sheldon
Senator for New South Wales
  • Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery (from 24 July 2022)

Initial arrangement

In the interim five-person ministry sworn in on 23 May 2022, Albanese was sworn in as Prime Minister, Labor deputy leader Richard Marles as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Employment, Jim Chalmers as Treasurer, Senator Penny Wong as Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Senator Katy Gallagher as Minister for Finance, Minister for Women, Attorney-General, and Vice-President of the Executive Council.[19] Gallagher would only hold the position of attorney-general for the duration of the interim ministry.[20] The interim ministry would also cover all other portfolios and the sworn-in ministers would be acting ministers for those portfolios. For example, Gallagher and Chalmers were also acting health minister[21] and interim home affairs minister respectively.[22]

PartyMinisterPortraitPortfolio
  LaborHon Anthony Albanese
for Grayndler
  Hon Richard Marles
for Corio
 Hon Penny Wong
Senator for South Australia
 Hon Dr Jim Chalmers
for Rankin
 Hon Katy Gallagher
Senator for Australian Capital Territory

Geographical breakdown

Geographic breakdown of the current ministry, per House of Representatives electorate and state/territory represented in the Senate:

State/territorywidth=100pxMinisterswidth=100pxAssistant ministerswidth=100pxSpecial envoyswidth=100pxTotal
New South Wales114318
Victoria64111
South Australia4align=center align=center 4
Queensland3115
Western Australia32align=center 5
Tasmania1align=center align=center 1
Australian Capital Territory11align=center 2
Northern Territory1align=center 12
Total3012648

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Wu . David . 2022-05-22 . Five Labor MPs to be immediately sworn in first ahead of key Quad trip . . en.
  2. News: Worthington . Brett . 23 May 2022 . Anthony Albanese and four senior frontbenchers sworn in ahead of Quad trip . .
  3. Web site: Albanese woos crossbench as insurance as he inches towards majority. Australian Financial Review. Andrew. Tillet. 23 May 2022. 24 May 2022.
  4. News: Worthington. Brett. Anthony Albanese and Labor to form majority government with projected win in Macnamara. 30 May 2022. 30 May 2022. ABC News.
  5. Web site: Press Conference - Parliament House, Canberra Prime Minister of Australia . 23 May 2022 . Prime Minister of Australia.
  6. News: Massola . James . Sakkal . Paul . O’Connor, Burney confirm retirements as MPs jostle for promotion . 27 July 2024 . . . 25 July 2024 . en .
  7. Web site: Ministerial arrangements. Prime Minister of Australia. 28 July 2024. 28 July 2024.
  8. Web site: Senators Malarndirri McCarthy and Jenny McAllister in line for promotion in cabinet reshuffle. ABC News. 28 July 2024.
  9. Web site: Anthony Albanese's full ministry list of cabinet, outer ministry and assistant ministers for 47th Australian parliament. Canberra Times. 31 May 2022.
  10. Web site: Press Conference. Prime Minister of Australia. 31 May 2022.
  11. Web site: Albanese ministry. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 June 2022.
  12. Web site: Anthony Albanese's first ministry brings housing and NDIS portfolios into cabinet, but veterans affairs removed. ABC News. 31 May 2022.
  13. Web site: Federal election live: New Labor ministry sworn in as vote counting winds down. ABC News. 1 June 2022. Shiloh Payne.
  14. Web site: Albanese . Anthony . Statement on new Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery . Prime Minister of Australia . Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
  15. News: ‘Father of reconciliation’ Pat Dodson to quit politics . live . 28 November 2023 . 28 November 2023 . 28 November 2023 . Rachel . Clun . https://web.archive.org/web/20231128001749/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/father-of-reconciliation-pat-dodson-to-quit-politics-20231128-p5enc9.html . Sydney Morning Herald.
  16. Web site: Ministry changes. Prime Minister of Australia. 23 May 2023. 30 July 2024.
  17. Web site: What are Labor’s factions and who’s who in the Left and Right? . . 14 February 2021 . . 7 June 2022.
  18. Web site: Anthony Albanese’s ministry contains more surprises than expected following a factional kerfuffle . Katharine Murphy . 31 May 2022 . . 7 June 2022.
  19. Web site: Albanese ministry. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 23 May 2022.
  20. Web site: Who are the other four Labor ministers sworn in on Monday?. ABC News. 23 May 2022.
  21. Web site: ATAGI expands COVID-19 booster access to allow more people to get a fourth dose. ABC News. 25 May 2022.
  22. Web site: Jim Chalmers indicates 'substantial progress' on returning Murugappan family to Biloela. The Guardian. 25 May 2022.