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Albanese government sets record for number of women in cabinet

A record number of women have been appointed to the front bench by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has unveiled his new ministerial team.

The Prime Minister announced a front bench of 30 members on Tuesday night, with 13 of them being women, 10 of them in the cabinet.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher were already sworn in last week and will retain those roles.

Mr Marles will also take on the role of defence minister.

Don Farrell will be trade and tourism minister as well as special minister of state, while Tony Burke will be employment minister.

Mark Butler will assume health in the cabinet, with Chris Bowen being in charge of climate change and energy.

There will be a change of portfolio for Tanya Plibersek, who will take on environment and water, while education will be taken on by Jason Clare.

Catherine King will be in charge of infrastructure, transport and regional development.

Linda Burney will be Indigenous affairs minister, the second Aboriginal person to assume the role.

Former opposition leader Bill Shorten will be minister for NDIS and government services, while Amanda Rishworth will be in charge of social services.

Mark Dreyfus will be the new attorney-general, while Brendan O’Connor will be minister for skills and training.

Julie Collins will be housing and homelessness minister, while Michelle Rowland will be communication minister.

Madeleine King will serve as resources minister, Murray Watt as agriculture minister, Ed Husic as industry and science minister, while Clare O’Neil will handle home affairsr.

Several new faces will make up the front bench, including Western Australian MP Anne Aly, who will become early childhood and youth minister, while Eden-Monaro MP Kristy McBain will take on the portfolio of regional development and local government.

Matt Keogh takes on veterans affairs, while Pat Conroy will be in charge of defence industries.

Stephen Jones will be assistant treasurer, while Andrew Giles is immigration minister in the new front bench.

Annika Wells has assumed the role of aged care minister and sport.

Mr Albanese said the cabinet would be the most experienced from a Labor government since Federation.

The full front bench will be sworn in at a ceremony in Government House on Wednesday morning.

Of the 30-member front bench, 16 will come from the right and 14 from the left due to a proportionate split within caucus.

-AAP

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