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Australia's Albanese Labour government sworn in for second term

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and ministers are sworn in to roles by the governor general. This has been the largest centre-left Labour government since federation

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at a Labor party election night event, after local media projected the Labour Party's victory, on the day of the Australian federal election, in Sydney, Australia, May 3, 2025. REUTERS

Reuters

Published : 13 May 2025, 08:06 AM

Updated : 13 May 2025, 08:06 AM

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was sworn in for a second term on Tuesday, alongside his ministers, after a landslide win at a national election he said had returned the largest centre-left Labour government since federation in 1901.

Albanese's Labour Party rode a voter backlash against global instability caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's policies to a come-from-behind victory on May 3.

The opposition conservative Liberal Party, whose leader Peter Dutton lost his seat at the election, selected Sussan Ley as its new leader on Tuesday, a party spokeswoman told reporters.

Ley will become the first woman leader of the federal Liberal Party, which lost city seats in Sydney and Melbourne to women who ran as independent candidates with policies supporting climate change and gender equality in the last two elections.

"Australia spoke very clearly to the Liberal Party," Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds told reporters on Tuesday after Ley's win.

The Australian Electoral Commission is yet to finalise vote counting in several seats, although Labour has claimed at least 92 seats out of the 150-seat House of Representatives.

It was the largest Labour caucus since Australia was formed by the federation of six former British colonies in 1901, Albanese said on Monday.

Albanese and his ministers were sworn in at a ceremony at Government House in Canberra, conducted by Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

The key roles of the treasurer, foreign affairs, defence and trade are unchanged. In new roles, Michelle Rowland was sworn in as attorney-general, Murray Watt as environment minister, and Tanya Plibersek as social services minister.

Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black said in a statement the ministry showed stability, adding that industry wanted to see reform of environment laws.

"With one in four jobs being trade dependent, it's crucial that business and government continue to secure new opportunities abroad to grow our economy at a time of geopolitical uncertainty," said Black.

Albanese will travel to Indonesia on Wednesday, and will attend the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV on Sunday in Rome, where he said he would also hold meetings with other leaders, including European Union president Ursula von der Leyen to discuss trade.