Australian PM Albanese, ministers sworn in following election victory

Canberra, May 13 (IANS/GURPUNEET SIDHU) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his ministers have been sworn in after the Labor Party won a second term in power at the federal election.

Albanese, his Cabinet, outer ministry and assistant ministers were officially sworn in to their roles by Governor-General Sam Mostyn, the representative of the British monarchy in Australia, at a ceremony at Government House in Canberra on Tuesday morning.

During the ceremony, the 42 members of the ministry took an oath of office, declaring that they will “well and truly serve” the Commonwealth of Australia in their respective offices, reports Xinhua news agency.

The 42 members consist of 23 members of the Cabinet, the innermost sanctum of the government, seven members of the outer ministry and 12 assistant ministers.

The Cabinet and outer ministry is largely unchanged from the end of Albanese’s first term, with the vast majority of senior leadership figures continuing in their roles, including Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong.

Announcing the list of ministers on Monday, Albanese said that it was the largest Labor caucus — referring to the number of the party’s politicians elected to the federal parliament — in history following the landslide result at the May 3 election.

He said the ministers and party had an “extraordinary opportunity” to change Australia “for the better.”

“I am deeply humbled by the trust that was put into my government with the election, and we certainly won’t take it for granted,” he said.

Among the changes from Albanese’s previous ministry is the appointment of Michelle Rowland as Attorney-General, replacing Mark Dreyfus, who was dumped from the ministry along with former Science and Industry Minister Ed Husic due to factional negotiations.

The new ministry also includes a new assistant minister role for international education, which has been filled by Julian Hill.

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