Anthony Albanese officially sworn in as Prime Minister of Australia

Asia-Pacific, News May 23, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Australia’s Labor Party leader, Anthony Albanese, was sworn in as the country’s 31st prime minister on Monday alongside new Labor ministers. Albanese will shortly head to Japan for talks with leaders of the Quad alliance – U.S., India, and Japan.

Australian former prime minister Scott Morrison conceded defeat in elections as the Labor secured a historic victory, winning majority seats in Australia’s 151-seats Parliament.

This is the first time that Labor Party would take power in Australia since 2013. A transition in the Australian government from conservatives to liberals is expected to translate into a greater emphasis on matters related to climate change and women and LGBTQ rights.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese would become Australia’s 31st Prime Minister after achieving a convincing win in elections. While delivering the victory speech he stated, “I am ready to serve. Tonight Australian people voted for Change.”

After conceding a defeat, Scott Morrison congratulated Albanese by stating, “I congratulate Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party and I wish him and his government all the very best.”

further added, “In this country, at a time like this, when we look around the world, and particularly when we see those in Ukraine fighting for their very freedom and liberty, I think on a night like tonight we can reflect on the greatness of our democracy.”

Environmental issues played a key role in bringing a major swing in Australian elections after a long time. Anthony Albanese developed his election campaign around the narrative that his government would focus on resolving the climate change problems in Australia. Along with that his election agenda was focused on indigenous rights and the eradication of corruption.

Albanese is a seasoned politician hailing from Australia’s working class. He was never shy of referring to his roots while campaigning for election. Raised by a single mother on disability benefits, Albanese’s first major political role was to serve as a minister after Rudd’s 2007 election victory. He rose through the Labor ranks, finally taking over the opposition leader after the party’s crushing loss in 2019.

*^{Leader of the Australian Labor Party Anthony Albanese. (Image Credit: Wendell Teodoro/AFP)}*

In the last 26 years, Labor has only held government for five years, during the tumultuous terms of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. Labor has promised more financial assistance and a robust social safety net as Australia grapples with the highest inflation since 2001 and soaring housing prices. Albanese has promised to cut carbon emissions by 43 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels, boost renewables, offer discounts for electric cars, and help build community-owned solar power and battery projects.

On the foreign policy front, Labor would continue Australia’s pro-U.S. policy. Albanese will face an immediate foreign-policy test, as Australia’s leader is set to head to Tokyo to participate in meetings of the Quad alongside President Joe Biden, Japan’s Fumio Kishida, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The grouping of democracies has picked up momentum in recent years as a key bloc countering China’s growing economic and military might in the region.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has become the first world leader out of the blocks to congratulate Anthony Albanese on becoming prime minister. Johnson had forged a close relationship with Scott Morrison, including pushing through a free-trade agreement and developing the AUKUS pact with the Biden Administration. He is now the only member of AUKUS from the conservative side of politics.