CANBERRA: The new Australian government's ministry has been sworn in for the first time. Governor-General David Hurley sworn in the 30 members of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's frontbench, including a record-breaking 13 women, to their portfolios at Government House in Canberra, according to reports.
Albanese's cabinet, the government's inner sanctum where major policy choices are taken, will have 23 of the 30 members.
Ed Husic and Anne Aly were sworn in as Australia's first Muslim federal ministers on Wednesday morning, and Linda Burney became the first Indigenous woman to serve as Minister for Indigenous Australians. It comes just 11 days after Albanese's Labor Party won the general election on May 21.
Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher were sworn in as a core team on May 23, allowing them to work in the interim. They were re-sworn in on Wednesday, with Marles shifting from employment to defence and Gallagher taking on the additional positions of Minister for Public Service and Minister for Women.
Albanese said the ministry was "as inclusive as Australia itself" when he announced it on Tuesday night. Women make up ten of the 23 cabinet ministers.
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