12 May | New Albanese Ministry
The Prime Minister’s announcement of the new Labor Ministry today reflects a clear commitment to delivering stable and consistent government, with comparatively minor changes introduced for a new Parliament.
As had been announced in the election campaign, several key leadership roles remain unchanged. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, and Finance Minister and Minister for Women Katy Gallagher all retain their portfolios. Key ministers continuing in their existing roles include:
Tony Burke - Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Minister for Cyber Security, Minister for the Arts
Mark Butler - Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Disability and also becoming Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Chris Bowen - Minister for Climate Change and Energy
Catherine King - Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
Jason Clare - Minister for Education
Julie Collins - Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Clare O’Neil - Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness, Minister for Cities
Madeline King - Minister for Resources, Minister for Northern Australia
Pat Conroy - Minister for Defence Industry, Minister for Pacific Island Affairs
Members of the Outer Ministry continuing in their existing roles include:
Matt Keogh - Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Minister for Defence Personnel
Kristy McBain - Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories and also becomes Minister for Emergency Management
Andrew Giles - Minister for Skills and Training
While much of the Ministry remains consistent, the changes introduced signal renewal across key policy areas, which saw the following:
Amanda Rishworth - Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Michelle Rowland – Attorney General
Tania Plibersek – Minister for Social Services
Murray Watt – Minister for the Environment and Water
Anika Wells – Minister for Communications (retains sport)
Anne Aly – Minister for Small Business, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for International Development (into Cabinet)
Tim Ayres– Minister for Industry and Innovation, Minister for Science (into Cabinet)
Members of the Outer Ministry changing their roles include:
Jenny McAllister – Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
There are a number of new faces on the front bench in the outer ministry, including:
Daniel Mulino - Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services
Member of the Victorian Right Faction
Daniel Mulino is widely respected and regarded as a thoughtful and intelligent policymaker. He holds a Bachelor of Laws and a PhD in Economics from Yale University. Before his election to the federal seat of Fraser in 2019, he served in the Victorian Parliament.
Mulino brings strong public policy credentials, having worked in both the Attorney-General’s Department and the Department of Finance. His deep understanding of government processes and policy development, combined with his experience directing officials, positions him well to deliver outcomes in portfolio areas he knows intimately.
Since 2019, he has served on the House Standing Committee on Economics and has chaired the Committee since 2022. This role has given him valuable insight into the corporate sector, including banking, insurance, and broader competition policy, areas in which he is expected to work closely with the Treasurer in the term ahead.
Sam Rae - Minister for Aged Care and Seniors
Member of the Victorian Right Faction
Sam Rae brings a strong political instinct to the front bench, having served as State Secretary and Campaign Director for Victorian Labor for three years.
Before his election to the seat of Hawke in 2022, Rae worked across a diverse range of roles, from childcare and call centres to serving as a senior adviser to former Senator Stephen Conroy over six years.
He concluded his private sector career as a Partner at PwC, bringing valuable corporate and strategic experience to his role in Parliament.
Senator for Victoria Jess Walsh - Minister for Early Childhood and Minister for Youth
Member of the Victorian Left Faction
A strong performer in the Senate, Senator Jess Walsh has been deeply involved in the United Workers Union (UWU) since 2002. She became Secretary of the union in 2007 and held that position until 2019, when she was elected to the Senate. The UWU represents diverse workers across sectors, including childcare, aged care, hospitality, and some manufacturing workers.
Senator Walsh holds a PhD in economic geography and passionately advocates for secure, meaningful work. She has stated: “A good job opens the doors of opportunity in this country – it means Australians can better support themselves, their families, and their local communities”.
Since entering Parliament, she has served on several committees and has been Chair of the Senate Standing Committees on Economics since 2022. In that role, she has overseen inquiries into key areas such as Treasury legislation, the retirement income system, and the retail sector.
The Assistant Ministry announced by the Prime Minister rewards several backbenchers with new responsibilities while expanding the roles of a number of existing assistant ministers. Key appointments and changes include:
Patrick Gorman – adds Assistant Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations to his existing portfolios
Andrew Charlton – appointed Cabinet Secretary and Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy
Bec White – appointed Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health and Assistant Minister for Women
Ged Kearney – appointed Assistant Minister for Social Services and Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence
Peter Khalil – appointed Assistant Minister for Defence
Nita Green – appointed Assistant Minister for Northern Australia, Assistant Minister for Tourism and Assistant Minister for Pacific Island Affairs
Anthony Chisholm – added the Assistant Minister for Resources to his portfolios
Matt Thistlethwaite – adds Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs to his portfolios
Josh Wilson – adds Assistant Minister for Emergency Management to his portfolios
Julian Hill – adds Assistant Minister for International Education to his portfolios
The new special envoys are:
Dan Repacholi – Special Envoy Men’s Health
Tim Watts – Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs
Josh Burns – Special Envoy for Social Housing and Homelessness
Marion Scrymgour – Special Envoy for Remote Communities
Kate Thwaites – Special Envoy for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience
The roles of Speaker (Milton Dick), Deputy Speaker (Sharon Claydon) and Chief Government Whip (Joanne Ryan) in the House of Representatives remain unchanged. However, in the Senate, the appointment of Anne Urquhart to the House of Representatives has seen New South Wales Senator Tony Sheldon take on the role of Senate Chief Government Whip.
The swearing-in will occur at 9am tomorrow at Government House, where ministers will take their oaths in the presence of the Prime Minister and their closest friends and family.
Parliament is expected to resume in late July, providing new ministers time to be briefed, familiarise themselves with their portfolios, and review the departmental “red books” prepared for them.
