Tanya Plibersek has been moved out of the environment portfolio and into social services as part of Anthony Albanese’s reshaped cabinet, replaced by Queenslander Murray Watt as Labor pursues a new model for its stalled “nature positive” laws.
Revealing his refreshed lineup following Labor’s emphatic election victory, Albanese on Monday named Michelle Rowland as the new attorney general, added the NDIS to Mark Butler’s responsibilities alongside the health portfolio, and moved Anika Wells from aged care to communications.
Amanda Rishworth was named the new employment and workplace relations minister, with frontbench newcomer Daniel Mulino appointed assistant treasurer.
Anne Aly and Tim Ayres, two rising stars of the left, entered cabinet in key portfolios – Ayres taking Ed Husic’s portfolio of industry, and Aly taking small business as well as multicultural affairs.
In a Canberra press conference, Albanese said Plibersek was “very positive” about her move from environment. Watt, the Queensland left senator, will now have charge of passing Labor’s nature positive changes and establishing a federal environmental protection agency, moves which were stalled under Plibersek after Albanese vetoed a deal she had negotiated in the Senate.
“I regard the environment as a really central portfolio,” Albanese said. “I regard it as very much a senior role in a Labor government. Murray will do it very well.
“I have got people who are, I think, in the best positions and that’s across the board.”
He said it was appropriate the NDIS was being moved into the health portfolio, coming as its $50bn price tag surges and as Labor tries to negotiate a new division of responsibility for childhood autism services with the states. In addition to Butler, NSW senator Jenny McAllister will have ministerial responsibility for the NDIS but will not sit in cabinet.
Albanese defended moves by factional chiefs including the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, to push out the former attorney general Mark Dreyfus and the former industry minister Husic. He said the rules under which the party’s internal groupings selected frontbenchers were longstanding.
Albanese and Husic held private talks on Monday.
“What I have done is to allocate portfolios, that is the system that is there. It is one that Ed and others have supported for a long period of time,” he said.
Albanese signalled the government had moved on from the report on gambling harms led by late Labor MP Peta Murphy. That inquiry’s report, released in June 2023, called for a three-year phase-in period towards a total ban on gambling ads, but the government came under intense lobbying pressure and shelved its plans for implementation before the election.
Wells will have carriage of the issue as the minister for communications and sport.
In addition to cabinet and senior ministry changes, Albanese also announced a number of new assistant ministry and envoy roles.
Dan Repacholi, the re-elected Hunter MP, has been named to an envoy role responsible for men’s health after starting some national conversations on that issue in his first term; Josh Burns, will be special envoy for social housing and homelessness, issues he has strongly advocated for in his seat of Macnamara in Melbourne.
Rebecca White, the former Tasmanian Labor leader, comes straight into the ministry as assistant minister for health, Indigenous health and women. Peter Khalil is the new assistant defence minister, while Queenslander Nita Green becomes the assistant minister for tourism, the Pacific and Northern Australia.
Andrew Charlton, Kevin Rudd’s former economic adviser and a rising star of the NSW right, is the new cabinet secretary and assistant minister for science and technology.
Albanese said he planned to travel to Rome for the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV at the weekend, likely extended travel for Wednesday’s visit to Indonesia for talks with president Prabowo Subianto.
Events at the Vatican could include side meetings with the newly elected Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and possibly the US president, Donald Trump.
Albanese said papal celebration was an important event for Australian Catholics.
“My mum would be pretty chuffed at the idea that her son will be going as prime minister to see the inauguration of a pope in the Vatican City.”
Albanese’s new cabinet:
Richard Marles – deputy prime minister, minister for defence
Penny Wong – minister for foreign affairs
Jim Chalmers – treasurer
Katy Gallagher – minister for finance, minister for the public service, minister for women, minister for government services
Don Farrell – minister for trade and tourism, special minister of state
Tony Burke – minister for home affairs, minister for immigration and citizenship, minister for cybersecurity, minister for the arts
Mark Butler – minister for health and ageing, minister for disability and the national disability insurance scheme
Chris Bowen – minister for climate change and energy
Catherine King – minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government
Amanda Rishworth – minister for employment and workplace relations.
Jason Clare – minister for education
Michelle Rowland – attorney general
Tanya Plibersek – minister for social services
Julie Collins – minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry
Clare O’Neil – minister for housing, minister for homelessness and minister for cities
Madeleine King – minister for resources, minister for northern Australia
Murray Watt – minister for the environment and water
Malarndirri McCarthy – minister for Indigenous Australians
Anika Wells – minister for communications, minister for sport
Pat Conroy – minister for defence industry, minister for Pacific Island affairs
Anne Aly – minister for small business, minister for international development, minister for multicultural affairs
Tim Ayres – minister for industry and innovation, minister for science
