Anthony Albanese will today be sworn in as Australia’s 31st prime minister, as his incoming Labor government takes power after almost a decade of Coalition rule.
The weekend’s election result has the Liberal Party on the hunt for a new leader, with Peter Dutton emerging as the most likely replacement for Scott Morrison.
Albanese will be sworn in with his deputy Richard Marles and frontbenchers Penny Wong, Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher.
He and Senator Wong, the incoming foreign affairs minister, will fly to Japan later today to meet with the leaders of the Quad — the United States, India and Japan.
“Travelling to the Quad meeting in week one signifies how important we believe this partnership is for our security,” Senator Wong said in a statement.
“And we will be taking new energy and much more to the table — including our commitment to act on climate change after a lost decade.”
U.S President Joe Biden phoned Albanese late on Sunday, congratulating him on the win and thanking him for choosing to travel to Tokyo for the meeting.
The five politicians will hold all the portfolios until MAlbanese swears in his full frontbench.
Chalmers will be the new treasurer and Senator Gallagher the finance minister.
There has been uncertainty about what role Marles, the incoming deputy prime minister, will hold. As deputy leader, he can pick his portfolio and there is speculation he wants to return to defence.
Albanese wants National Cabinet to meet in person in the coming weeks as he sets about implementing his agenda.
Liberal sources have told the ABC that Dutton, who served as a senior cabinet minister throughout the Coalition’s three terms, has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Morrison.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was among the biggest victims of the Coalition’s loss, losing both his seat and the likely leadership of the Liberals in opposition.
Sources told the ABC that without Frydenberg, Dutton appeared to have the numbers to become leader.
Sources have told the ABC that South Australian senator Anne Ruston is being touted as a possible deputy to Dutton, with Liberals conceding they need to do more to get women into their ranks.
Liberal sources have told the ABC that Dutton, who served as a senior cabinet minister throughout the Coalition’s three terms, has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Morrison.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was among the biggest victims of the Coalition’s loss, losing both his seat and the likely leadership of the Liberals in opposition.
Sources told the ABC that without Frydenberg, Dutton appeared to have the numbers to become leader.
Sources have told the ABC that South Australian senator Anne Ruston is being touted as a possible deputy to Dutton, with Liberals conceding they need to do more to get women into their ranks.
Labor has lost two women from its cabinet ranks, with Kristina Keneally’s attempt to parachute into a safe Western Sydney seat failing, and Terri Butler losing her Brisbane seat to the Greens.
The Greens will enter the next parliament with record numbers in its ranks. It will hit a high-water mark of 12 in the Senate, where it holds balance of power.
The party has also added to its lower house seats thanks to gains in Queensland.
Labor had a big night in Perth, wiping out Coalition cabinet ministers and once-safe prized Liberal seats.
Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, the deputy Liberal leader in the Senate, blamed Morrison for the party’s fortunes in the west.
She said his decision to initially back Clive Palmer’s legal action against WA’s closed border proved costly, with Morrison’s close confidant Ben Morton losing his Perth seat.
“We (Senator Cash and Morton) did not support siding with Clive Palmer but the decision was made that we would,” she said
As of Monday morning, Labor was yet to reach the 76 seats needed to form government.
If it falls short, it will need the support of the crossbench to pass legislation in the House of Representatives.
If it is unable to reach an agreement with the Coalition, it will need the Greens and likely Jacqui Lambie to pass legislation in the Senate.
Incoming teal independents Monique Ryan, who defeated Frydenberg, Zoe Daniel, who defeated Tim Wilson, and Allegra Spender, who defeated Dave Sharma, have said they want the incoming government to take greater steps to address climate change.
SOURCE: ABC/PACNEWS
