Anthony Albanese

The Honourable Anthony Albanese MP
Official portrait, 2022
31st Prime Minister of Australia Elections: 2022
Incumbent
Assumed office 23 May 2022
Monarchs	Elizabeth II Charles III
Governors General	David Hurley Sam Mostyn
Deputy	Richard Marles
Preceded by	Scott Morrison
21st Leader of the Labor Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 May 2019
Deputy	Richard Marles
Preceded by	Bill Shorten
Leader of the Opposition
In office 30 May 2019 – 23 May 2022
Prime Minister	Scott Morrison
Deputy	Richard Marles
Preceded by	Bill Shorten
Succeeded by	Peter Dutton
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
In office 27 June 2013 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister	Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Wayne Swan
Succeeded by	Warren Truss
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
In office 26 June 2013 – 13 October 2013
Leader	Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Wayne Swan
Succeeded by	Tanya Plibersek
Previous offices 2007–⁠2013 Minister for Infrastructure and Transport In office 3 December 2007 – 18 September 2013 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard Preceded by Mark Vaile Succeeded by Warren Truss Leader of the House In office 3 December 2007 – 18 September 2013 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard Deputy Stephen Smith Preceded by Tony Abbott Succeeded by Christopher Pyne Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy In office 1 July 2013 – 18 September 2013 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Preceded by Stephen Conroy Succeeded by Malcolm Turnbull (as Minister for Communications) Minister for Regional Development and Local Government In office 25 March 2013 – 1 July 2013 Prime Minister Julia Gillard Kevin Rudd Preceded by Simon Crean Succeeded by Catherine King In office 3 December 2007 – 14 September 2010 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard Preceded by Jim Lloyd Succeeded by Simon Crean Manager of Opposition Business In office 10 December 2006 – 3 December 2007 Leader Kevin Rudd Preceded by Julia Gillard Succeeded by Joe Hockey
Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Grayndler
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 March 1996
Preceded by	Jeannette McHugh
Personal details
Born	Anthony Norman Albanese (1963-03-02) 2 March 1963 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Labor
Spouse	Carmel Tebbutt ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2019)​
Domestic partner(s)	Jodie Haydon (2021–present, engaged in 2024)
Children	1
Residences	The Lodge (primary) Kirribilli House (secondary)
Alma mater	University of Sydney (BEc)
Signature
Website	Personal website Government website
Nickname	Albo

Anthony Norman Albanese (/ˌælbəˈniːzi/ AL-bə-NEE-zee or /ˈælbəniːz/ AL-bə-neez; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been the leader of the Labor Party (ALP) since 2019 and the member of parliament (MP) for the New South Wales division of Grayndler since 1996. Albanese previously served as the 15th deputy prime minister under the second Rudd government in 2013. He held various ministerial positions from 2007 to 2013 in the governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.

Albanese was born in Sydney to an Italian father and an Irish-Australian mother, who raised him as a single parent. Albanese attended St Mary's Cathedral College and studied economics at the University of Sydney. As a student, he joined the Labor Party and later worked as a party official and research officer before entering Parliament.

Albanese was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1996 election, winning the seat of Grayndler in New South Wales. He was first appointed to the shadow cabinet in 2001 by Simon Crean and went on to serve in a number of roles, eventually becoming Manager of Opposition Business in 2006. After Labor's victory in the 2007 election, Albanese was appointed Leader of the House, and was also made Minister for Regional Development and Local Government and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. In the subsequent leadership tensions between Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard from 2010 to 2013, Albanese was publicly critical of the conduct of both, calling for party unity. After supporting Rudd in the final leadership ballot between the two in June 2013, Albanese was elected the deputy leader of the Labor Party and sworn in as deputy prime minister the following day, a position he held for less than three months, as Labor was defeated at the 2013 election.

Rudd retired from politics, so Albanese stood against Bill Shorten in the October 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership election. Although Albanese won a large majority of the membership, Shorten won more heavily among Labor MPs and became leader. Shorten subsequently appointed Albanese to his Shadow Cabinet. After Labor's surprise defeat in the 2019 election, Shorten resigned as leader, with Albanese becoming the only person nominated in the leadership election to replace him; he was subsequently elected unopposed as leader of the Labor Party, becoming Leader of the Opposition.

In the 2022 election, Albanese led his party to victory against Scott Morrison's Liberal-National Coalition. He was sworn in on 23 May 2022. Albanese's first acts as prime minister included proposing a change to the Constitution to include an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, updating Australia's climate targets in an effort to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, and supporting an increase to the national minimum wage. His government legislated a national anti-corruption commission, made major changes to Australian labour law, introduced a ban on children under the age of sixteen using social media platforms, and established the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. In foreign policy, Albanese pledged further logistical support to Ukraine to assist with the Russo-Ukrainian war, attempted to strengthen relations in the Pacific region, and held several high-level discussions with Chinese president Xi Jinping, overseeing an easing of tensions and trade restrictions put on Australia by China. He also oversaw the official commencement of the AUKUS security pact between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Early life

Family and background

Albanese was born on 2 March 1963 at St Margaret's Hospital in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst. He is the son of Carlo Albanese and Maryanne Ellery. His mother was an Australian of Irish descent, while his Italian father was from Barletta in Apulia. His parents met in March 1962 on a voyage from Sydney to Southampton, England, on the Sitmar Line's TSS Fairsky, where his father worked as a steward, but did not continue their relationship afterwards, going their separate ways.

Growing up, Albanese was told that his father had died in a car accident; he did not meet his father, who was in fact still alive, until 2009, tracking him down initially with the assistance of John Faulkner, Carnival Australia's CEO Ann Sherry (the parent company of P&O, which acquired the Sitmar Line in 1988) and maritime historian Rob Henderson, and then later the Australian Embassy in Italy and ambassador Amanda Vanstone. He made contact with his father in 2009, visiting him a number of times in Italy, and he took his family there as well. His father died in 2014. He subsequently discovered that he had two half-siblings. During the Australian parliamentary eligibility crisis of 2017, it was noted that, although birth to an Italian father would ordinarily confer citizenship by descent, Albanese had no father recorded on his birth certificate and thus meets the parliamentary eligibility requirements of section 44 of the constitution.

Childhood and education

Albanese grew up with his mother and maternal grandparents in a Sydney City Council home in the Inner West suburb of Camperdown, opposite the Camperdown Children's Hospital. His grandfather died in 1970, and the following year his mother married James Williamson. He was given his stepfather's surname, but the marriage lasted only 10 weeks, as Williamson proved to be an abusive alcoholic. Albanese's mother worked part-time as a cleaner but suffered from chronic rheumatoid arthritis, with the family surviving on her disability pension and his grandmother's age pension.

Albanese attended St Joseph's Primary School in Camperdown and then St Mary's Cathedral College. After finishing school, he worked for the Commonwealth Bank for two years before studying economics at the University of Sydney. There, he became involved in student politics and was elected to the Students' Representative Council. It was also there where he started his rise as a key player in the ALP's Labor Left. During his time in student politics, Albanese led a group within Young Labor that was aligned with the left faction's Hard Left, which maintained "links with broader left-wing groups, such as the Communist Party of Australia, People for Nuclear Disarmament and the African National Congress".

Albanese's mother died in 2002.

Pre-parliamentary career and travel

After completing his economics degree in 1984, Albanese took on a role as a research officer to the then Minister for Local Government and Administrative Services, Tom Uren, who became a mentor to him. In 1989, the position of Assistant General Secretary of the New South Wales branch of the Labor Party became vacant when John Faulkner was elected to the Senate. The election to replace him was closely disputed between the Labor Left's Hard Left and Soft Left groupings, with Albanese being elected with the backing of the Hard Left, taking on that role for the next six years. In 1995, he left the position to work as a senior adviser to New South Wales Premier Bob Carr.

Albanese's first overseas trip was in 1986, accompanying his friend Jeremy Fisher to Vanuatu. In 1987, Albanese joined his boss Tom Uren on a visit to South-East Asia, which included: a meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand; an Anzac Day dawn service at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery with John Carrick; and a tour of Cambodia alongside Bill Hayden's daughter Ingrid. He then travelled extensively in 1988, visiting Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Western Europe on a Contiki tour, and Eastern Europe and Scandinavia as a backpacker. Upon returning to Australia, he began dating Carmel Tebbutt, with whom he would holiday in Europe and South-East Asia, plus a backpacking trip to India in 1991. Sometime during his 20s, Albanese also took part in a tour of the United States by the U.S. State Department, with a thematic focus on the interaction of advocacy groups with the U.S. Government.

In 1990, Albanese bought a semi-detached two-bedroom house in the Inner West Sydney suburb of Marrickville.

Early political career

Entry to Parliament

Albanese shortly after his election to Parliament

When Jeannette McHugh announced she would not seek re-election in her seat of Grayndler at the 1996 election, Albanese won preselection for the seat. The campaign was a difficult one, with aircraft noise a big political issue following the opening of the third runway at Sydney Airport, and the newly established No Aircraft Noise party (NAN) having polled strongly in the local area at the 1995 New South Wales election. Veteran political pundit Malcolm Mackerras predicted NAN would win the seat. However, NAN's candidate finished third, with less than 14% of the vote. Despite suffering a six-point swing against Labor, Albanese was elected with a comfortable 16-point margin.

In his maiden speech to the House of Representatives, he spoke about the building of a third runway at Sydney Airport, aircraft noise and the need to build a second airport to service Sydney, as well as his support for funding public infrastructure in general, multiculturalism, native title, the social wage and childcare. He concluded by saying, "For myself, I will be satisfied if I can be remembered as someone who will stand up for the interests of my electorate, for working-class people, for the labour movement, and for our progressive advancement as a nation into the next century."

In his first year in Parliament he continued this theme, speaking in favour of the Northern Territory's euthanasia legislation, the rights of the Indigenous community in the Hindmarsh Island bridge controversy, and entitlement to superannuation for same-sex couples.

This last issue became a cause to which he was particularly dedicated. In 1998 he unsuccessfully moved a private member's bill that would have given same-sex couples the same rights to superannuation as de facto heterosexual couples. Over the next nine years, he tried three more times without success, until the election of the Rudd government in 2007 saw the legislation passed. Albanese subsequently turned his attention to campaigning for same-sex marriage.

Appointment to Shadow Cabinet

Albanese in 2005

In 1998, Albanese was appointed a parliamentary secretary, a position which assists ministers and shadow ministers and is often a stepping stone to a full ministerial position.

In 2001, Albanese was promoted to the opposition Shadow Cabinet, taking the portfolio of ageing and seniors. A 2002 reshuffle saw him become Shadow Minister for Employment Services and Training, and in 2004 he became Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage. It was during this latter role that then prime minister John Howard and science minister Brendan Nelson started raising the idea of nuclear power for Australia. Albanese campaigned strongly against them, as well as elements within his own party, arguing that "Nuclear energy doesn't add up economically, environmentally or socially, and after more than 50 years of debate, we still do not have an answer to nuclear proliferation or nuclear waste."

In 2005, Albanese was given the additional role of Shadow Minister for Water alongside his existing responsibilities, and was also appointed Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House. In December 2006, when Kevin Rudd first became Leader of the Labor Party, Albanese took over from Julia Gillard as Manager of Opposition Business in the House, a senior tactical role on the floor of the parliament, and was appointed Shadow Minister for Water and Infrastructure.

Cabinet minister

Albanese in 2011

Rudd government

Following Labor's victory at the 2007 election, Albanese's rise in standing within the party was evidenced by his appointment as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Regional Development and Local Government and Leader of the House in the Rudd ministry. Rudd was sworn in alongside his colleagues on 3 December 2007.

The Labor Party had gone to the election criticising the previous government for ignoring "long-term nation building in favour of short-term political spending". One of Albanese's first moves as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport was the establishment of an independent statutory body, Infrastructure Australia, to advise the Government on infrastructure priorities. Armed with advice from this independent body and his own persuasive skills in the Cabinet, he was able to argue for a doubling of the roads budget and a tenfold increase in rail investment. The establishment of Infrastructure Australia was regarded by many as a success; projects delivered through the Infrastructure Australia process included Melbourne's Regional Rail Link, the Hunter Expressway, the Ipswich Motorway, the Gold Coast light rail system G:link, the Redcliffe Peninsula railway line, the extension of the Noarlunga Centre railway line to Seaford, South Australia and various projects along the Pacific Highway in NSW and Bruce Highway in Queensland.

Gillard government

Albanese at the opening of the Holbrook Bypass in 2013

After Julia Gillard replaced Rudd as prime minister following the leadership spill in June 2010 she retained Albanese in his roles. Following the 2010 election, which resulted in a hung parliament, Albanese was a key player in negotiating the support of independent members Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott through his role of Leader of the House. Albanese was also responsible for managing legislation through the House in the first hung parliament since the 1940s.

In 2011, Albanese introduced two more major policy reforms. The first on urban planning drew on the work of Danish designer Jan Gehl and set out plans for urban design with better transport links and safety. The second, on shipping, was notable for gaining the approval of both the conservative Australian Shipowners Associations and the radical Maritime Union of Australia. However, he also attracted controversy when a convoy of trucks from North Queensland dubbed the "convoy of no confidence" descended on Canberra's Parliament House to protest against rising fuel costs and carbon pricing. During question time, Albanese labelled the protesters outside as "the convoy of no consequence". This caused outrage among supporters of the protest and a week later a public rally in support of the truckies was held outside Albanese's electorate office in Marrickville, New South Wales.

Following a series of poor polls, leadership instability descended again on the Labor government. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd resigned as Minister for Foreign Affairs in February 2012 to unsuccessfully challenge Julia Gillard for the leadership. Shortly before the ballot, Albanese came out in support of Rudd, stating that he had always been unhappy with the manner of Rudd's removal. He tearfully explained how he had offered his resignation as Leader of the House to the prime minister, but that she had refused to accept it, and called on Labor to cease leadership divisions and unify. In response to a question on his personal feelings around the leadership spill, he stated "I like fighting Tories. That's what I do."

Deputy Prime Minister of Australia

Albanese sworn in as deputy prime minister by Governor-General Quentin Bryce

In June 2013, Rudd defeated Gillard in a final leadership election. That same ballot saw Albanese elected by the caucus as Deputy Leader of the Labor Party, and the following day Albanese was sworn in as deputy prime minister. He held this role until Labor's defeat at the 2013 election, and was replaced by Warren Truss on 18 September.

Return to Opposition

2013 leadership election

Following the defeat of Labor at the 2013 election, Albanese announced his candidacy to be Leader of the Labor Party, standing against Bill Shorten. Shorten was announced as the winner after a month-long contest that was the first to involve a combined vote of MPs and rank-and-file members. Although Albanese won comfortably among party members, Shorten held a greater lead among MPs, and was subsequently elected.

Shorten Opposition

In October 2013, shortly after the leadership election, Shorten appointed Albanese Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Shadow Minister for Tourism; he held these roles throughout Shorten's time as leader. In September 2014, Albanese was given the additional role of Shadow Minister for Cities. Following Labor's narrow loss in the 2016 federal election, it was reported by Sky News that Albanese was preparing to challenge Shorten for the leadership of the party. However, Albanese ruled out such a challenge, and Shorten was re-elected unopposed as Labor leader.

Leader of the Opposition (2019–2022)

Albanese during his time as Leader of the Opposition

2019 leadership election

Bill Shorten announced his resignation as Leader of the Labor Party on 18 May 2019, following Labor's unexpected defeat in the 2019 election. The day after, Albanese announced his candidacy in the subsequent leadership election. On 21 May, Chris Bowen announced he would also contest the ballot; however, the next day, he announced his withdrawal, citing his lack of support among the party membership. With no other candidate stepping forward, Albanese took the leadership unopposed on 30 May, with Richard Marles as his deputy. Aged 56 when he took office, he became the oldest first-time Opposition Leader in 59 years, since Arthur Calwell (aged 63) took office in 1960. Albanese unveiled his shadow ministry on 1 June 2019.

2022 federal election

Albanese led the Labor Party into the 2022 federal election. On the first day of campaigning, Albanese was unable to name either the official cash rate or unemployment rate, which drew criticism. On 20 April, Albanese faced prime minister Scott Morrison in a debate hosted by Sky News, with Albanese being deemed the winner through an audience vote. However, the next day, Albanese tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him to isolate at home in Sydney. He returned to campaigning the following week and, on 1 May, hosted Labor's campaign launch in Perth which was the first time any major party launched in Western Australia. At the launch, Labor unveiled policies to reduce the cost of medicine and childcare, increase manufacturing in Australia, and introduce a shared equity housing scheme to assist first-time home buyers. Albanese faced Morrison in two further debates, hosted by Channel Nine and Channel Seven, respectively. Opinion polling indicated that support for the two major parties had reached record lows, due to high levels of support for minor parties and independent candidates.

Prime Minister of Australia (2022–present)

See also: Albanese government and Albanese ministry

Albanese with Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 2023

At the election on 21 May 2022, Labor was victorious over the incumbent Liberal-National Coalition, with Albanese becoming the 31st prime minister of Australia. Despite a decrease in the party's primary vote, Labor received a 3.66 percent two-party preferred swing towards it. The Coalition also lost several seats to "teal independents", allowing Labor to become the party with the most seats in Parliament.

Although it was not certain on election day that Labor would win a majority of seats, it soon became apparent that no other party could realistically form a government. Accordingly, two days after the election, Albanese, deputy Labor leader Richard Marles, Jim Chalmers, Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher were sworn in as an interim five-person ministry. Albanese is the first Italian-Australian prime minister in the country's history.

Albanese secured confidence and supply from several crossbenchers in the event that he was unable to form majority government. However, on 30 May, it was projected that Labor had won at least 76 seats, enough to win a majority for the first time at the federal level since the 2007 election. Albanese's full ministry was sworn in on 1 June.

Domestic affairs

Environment and climate change

On 16 June 2022, Albanese submitted a new Nationally Determined Contribution to the United Nations which formally committed Australia to reducing carbon emissions by 43% on 2005 levels. This represented an increase from the 26 to 28% target under the previous government. In September 2022, the Albanese government passed legislation to write this climate target into law. Albanese's government also entered a bid for Australia and its Pacific island neighbours to host the 2024 United Nations Climate Change conference.

In late-2022, his government announced reforms to the "safeguard mechanism", an emissions trading scheme that requires Australia's largest carbon emitters to keep their emissions under a "baseline limit", either by reducing them, or by purchasing carbon credits. The mechanism was introduced by the Turnbull government in 2016, but failed to reduce emissions as the rules were often left unenforced. In March 2023, the Albanese government received the necessary support to pass the legislation from the Greens, who negotiated a "hard cap" on emissions that cannot be offset by carbon credits. The bill was passed on 30 March 2023, marking the most significant piece of climate change legislation passed through the Australian parliament since the Clean Energy Act 2011.

In December 2023, the government legislated a "nature repair market" to create a biodiversity market to encourage private companies to invest in projects that protect biodiversity, and has committed to establishing a federal environmental protection agency.

Indigenous affairs

In his victory speech, Albanese expressed his support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and stated that his government would implement it in full within its first term. He pledged to hold a referendum to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament to assist the government with Indigenous issues, and recognise Indigenous Australians in Australia's constitution. The referendum was held on 14 October 2023 and the change to the Constitution was rejected by the majority of Australian voters and passed in no state or territory, bar the Australian Capital Territory.

At Albanese's first press conference as Prime Minister, the podium flags in the blue room at Parliament were changed to include Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander flags in addition to the Australian flag. Upon the opening of the new Parliament, both flags began to be displayed in the House of Representatives and Senate chambers.

Immigration and asylum

On 25 May 2022, in one of its first acts upon coming to government, the Albanese government allowed the Murugappan family to stay in Australia after the previous Morrison government had attempted to deport them. In February 2023, the Albanese government abolished temporary protection visas, allowing up to 19,000 asylum seekers to stay in Australia permanently. On 8 November 2023, the High Court of Australia ruled that indefinite detention of immigrants was illegal, leading to the release of 148 people, some of whom had committed serious crimes. In response, the government enacted emergency legislation to put those released under strict visa conditions − including mandating the use of ankle monitoring and a mandatory curfew – and establish a preventive detention scheme to re-detain people who were found to pose a high risk to the community.

On 11 December 2023, the Albanese government announced an overhaul of Australia's immigration system, with plans to cut the immigration intake in half to 250,000 by June 2025.

Housing

In August 2023, Albanese reached an agreement with National Cabinet to build 1.2 million houses over five years. On 13 September 2023, the government passed the Housing Australia Future Fund, a $10 billion investment fund controlled by the Future Fund that is designed to build 30,000 new social and affordable homes over the following five years in an effort to increase housing supply.

Industrial relations and employment

In one of his first acts as prime minister on 27 May 2022, Albanese confirmed that his government would make a submission to the Fair Work Commission in support of an increase to the national minimum wage. On 2 June 2023, the Albanese government contributed to a decision by the Fair Work Commission with another letter encouraging a rise in the minimum wage in line with inflation. The government announced that a submission had been formally made to the commission on 3 June 2022 and that a "deliberate" policy of lower wages was not the policy of the new government. The Fair Work Commission subsequently announced on 15 June 2022 that the minimum wage would be raised by 5.2%.

The government passed new workplace harassment laws through the Parliament on 28 November 2022. The new laws are in line with Albanese's promise to implement the recommendations of the Respect@Work Report by creating a positive duty requiring employers to implement measures to prevent sexual harassment. On 2 December 2022, the government's Secure Jobs, Better Pay bill passed the Parliament. Under the new laws, unions can now negotiate multi-employer pay deals in an effort to secure wage increases across particular sectors such as child care and aged care. The law also aims to close the gender pay gap by prohibiting pay secrecy employment clauses and secures the right of workers to seek flexible working arrangements. Throughout 2023, the Albanese government attempted to pass additional industrial relations reforms through Parliament, dubbed the Closing Loopholes bill, which aimed to ensure temporary workers employed through labour hire were paid the same wage as regular workers, criminalise wage theft and make companies responsible for industrial manslaughter, among other changes. Despite fierce opposition from the Liberal Party and business lobbies, the first part of the bill was passed by the Senate on 7 December 2023. The second tranche of legislation, which introduced minimum standards for gig workers and allowed workers the right to disconnect, was passed on 8 February 2024.

Government integrity and national anti-corruption commission

In November 2022, Albanese's government fulfilled its election commitment to legislate the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), with the commission commencing on 1 July 2023. Following the revelation that former prime minister Scott Morrison had secretly sworn himself into several ministerial positions, Albanese and his government successfully moved a censure motion against him in November 2022.

Economy and taxation

In the 2023 Australian federal budget, the Albanese government delivered a surplus of $22.1 billion (equivalent to 0.9% of Australia's GDP); this was Australia's first budget surplus in 15 years, and the largest ever Australian budget surplus. In the 2024 budget, the government posted a second consecutive surplus of $9.3 billion.

In January 2024, the Albanese government made changes to the previously legislated stage three tax cuts, which would see individuals earning less than A$150,000 receive a larger tax cut than under the original plan. These changes were met with some criticism, particularly by the Opposition and conservative media outlets, and was viewed as a breach of a pre-election promise, as Albanese had repeatedly stated he would not alter the tax cuts if elected. Despite this, the changes proved popular with the public, and the overhauled tax cuts were passed by the Senate on 27 February 2024.

Other

In June 2024, Albanese pledged to introduce legislation that would force social media companies to ensure users under 16 years old could not create accounts, in an effort to curb the negative effects of social media on children. This plan was criticised by industry groups and major social media companies such as Meta (parent company of Facebook). The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 was passed by Parliament on 28 November 2024, making Australia the first country in the world to legislate a minimum age for social media use. The ban is due to commence by the end of 2025.

International affairs

On the same day he was sworn in as prime minister, Albanese attended his first overseas trip: the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue meeting with US president Joe Biden, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida.

See also: List of international prime ministerial trips made by Anthony Albanese

Albanese took his first international trip on 23 May 2022 immediately after being sworn in as prime minister when he flew to Tokyo to attend a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue meeting with fellow world leaders: US president Joe Biden, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida. At the meeting, Albanese committed his new government to the goals of the Quad and confirmed that his government would seek to take stronger action in reducing carbon emissions. On 5 June, Albanese and Penny Wong visited Indonesian president Joko Widodo in Jakarta to develop Australia–Indonesia relations. Albanese said he would not "publicly intervene" to prevent WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from being extradited to the United States. Instead, he and his government engaged in what was dubbed "quiet diplomacy" with the United States, including raising the issue directly with president Biden. Assange was released from custody after striking a plea deal in June 2024. Barrister Greg Barns, who acted as a legal advisor to Assange, credited Albanese's government as "instrumental" to Assange's release.

Albanese visiting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv

Later in June, Albanese attended the 2022 NATO Madrid summit to discuss security threats facing the Pacific region. On 30 June, Albanese met with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris to "reset" Australia–France relations, which had been damaged following the cancellation of a submarine deal by the preceding government. The next day, Albanese travelled to Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, making him the first Australian prime minister to make a diplomatic visit to Ukraine. Albanese pledged a further $100 million in aid to assist with the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.

On 26 September 2022, Albanese travelled to Japan to attend the state funeral of former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Albanese (far left) at an AUKUS summit in March 2023

The relationship between Australia and China started to improve since Albanese became prime minister. In November 2022, Albanese held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, bringing an end to the longest diplomatic freeze in 50 years between Australia and China. In early 2023, China ended its unofficial ban on imports of Australian coal, with all restrictions reportedly being lifted by 14 March. China agreed to lift its ban on barley imports from Australia in April, and imports of Australian timber in May, further improving the relations.

In February 2023, Albanese hosted his New Zealand counterpart Chris Hipkins, who undertook his first official visit. While the two leaders reaffirmed Australian-New Zealand bilateral relations, they also discussed the controversial Section 501 deportation policy. Albanese confirmed that his government would amend the deportation policy to take into account individuals' connections to Australia and the length of time they had lived in the country.

In March 2023, Albanese visited India to attend the Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit in New Delhi. During the visit, he also led a trade delegation, which included Trade Minister Don Farrell and Resources Minister Madeleine King, after the implementation of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between Australia and India on 29 December 2022. He also attended the 75 Years of Friendship through Cricket Event hosted by PM Modi at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to celebrate 75 years of strong diplomatic and cricketing ties between the two nations. The PMs attended a match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy where Albanese handed over Australian Cricket Captain Steve Smith his test cap.

Albanese (left) with Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (right) at the 49th G7 summit

On 13 March 2023, Albanese travelled to San Diego to officially commence the AUKUS security pact with President Biden and United Kingdom prime minister Rishi Sunak. Through the deal, which was signed by Albanese's predecessor, Australia will procure $368 billion worth of defence materiel, including nuclear-powered submarines in an effort to counter China's dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. The deal has been negatively received by China and former prime minister Paul Keating, who called it the "worst deal in all history".

Albanese with Filipino President Bongbong Marcos during his visit in Manila

Australia–Philippines relations upgraded to a strategic partnership when Albanese visited Manila on 8 September 2023, the first bilateral visit to the Philippines by an Australian prime minister in two decades. He and President Bongbong Marcos agreed for their defence ministers to meet annually due to "rising security challenges" in the Indo-Pacific.

Between 4 and 7 November, Albanese visited Shanghai and Beijing, becoming the first Australian prime minister to visit China in seven years. The trip, described as an effort to get relations between Australia and China on track, coincided with the 50th anniversary of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's visit to China, the first by an Australian prime minister. During the trip, Albanese gave a speech at the China International Import Expo, and met with Premier Li Qiang and President Xi Jinping. The following week, he signed the Falepili Union treaty with the Pacific island country of Tuvalu. Described as "groundbreaking" by legal scholar Jane McAdam, the treaty entrenches bilateral relations between the two countries, with Australia agreeing to provide funds to help the country deal with the effects of climate change and also resettle 280 Tuvaluans a year, as the country is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

In April 2024, Albanese told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Australians were outraged by the death of an Australian citizen in Israel's attack on aid workers in Gaza. Albanese condemned the Iranian strikes in Israel and reiterated the necessity for sanctions against Iran.

Appointments

Public service

On 3 April 2024, Albanese announced Sam Mostyn as the new governor-general of Australia, replacing the outgoing David Hurley. She began her term on 1 July 2024.

Judiciary

On 17 October 2022, Albanese's government appointed Jayne Jagot as a Justice of the High Court of Australia, giving the High Court a majority of female Justices for the first time in its history. On 22 August 2023, his government appointed Stephen Gageler as chief justice of Australia.

Political views

Albanese has described his political views as progressive, and is aligned with the Labor Left faction. Several journalists and analysts have noted his ideological shift to centrism during the 2022 election campaign and upon becoming prime minister.

Albanese is a republican, and supports replacing Australia's current constitutional monarchy. In a debate to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, he told the Australian Parliament, "Even many Australians who do not hold with the principle of monarchy feel regard for her. You can be a republican, as I am, and still have the deepest respect for the Queen. She has done her duty with fidelity, integrity, humanity and, as she sometimes lets slip, a sly sense of humour." He has stated his desire to give constitutional recognition to Indigenous Australians, and pledged to hold a referendum regarding an Indigenous Voice to Parliament upon becoming prime minister. He has stated that this recognition should come before any referendum regarding Australia's status as a constitutional monarchy vs. a republic.

Environmental issues

While serving in the Gillard government, Albanese supported the introduction of carbon pricing, and voted, along with the rest of the Labor Party, to establish the Clean Energy Act 2011, which instituted a carbon pricing scheme in Australia. After the Abbott government abolished the scheme in July 2014, Albanese stated that carbon pricing was no longer needed, as "the circumstances have changed".

Albanese is a prominent backer of renewable energy in Australia and has declared that the country's "long-term future lies in renewable energy sources". Upon his election in 2022, he said he would "end the climate wars" and mitigation and policies to address climate change in Australia would be a priority for his government, in contrast with those preceding it.

Foreign policy

Albanese with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in 2023

Albanese with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2023

Albanese's foreign policy beliefs have been the subject of media attention. Writing for the Australian Financial Review, James Curran noted his shift from an "idealistic left-wing critic of globalisation" to "a true believer in the American alliance". Albanese was staunchly opposed to the US-led invasion of Iraq, saying in February 2003 that "Whatever criticisms can be made of the Iraqi regime, Islamic fundamentalism is not one of them. This is one of the reasons the United States supported Saddam Hussein in the 1980s, including supplying his regime with weapons of mass destruction, which he then used against both the Iranians and the Kurds." Albanese has repeatedly urged for the release of Australian whistleblower and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who was being held in custody in the United Kingdom until 2024.

Albanese's views on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict have also been the subject of media interest, with The Times of Israel categorising him as a supporter of Palestine. Alongside Joe Hockey, Albanese established the parliamentary "Friends of Palestine" group in 1998. Despite this, he has been a critic of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, calling it "clumsy and counterproductive". During the 2014 Gaza War, he called Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip a "collective punishment" that was "completely unacceptable". In 2018, he challenged a decision by the Australian government to vote against a UN human rights council motion calling for an investigation into the killings of Palestinian protesters during the Great March of Return. Shortly before the 2022 election, Albanese told The Australian Jewish News that any decision he takes on Israel-Palestine will contribute "to a peaceful resolution of the conflict and to progress towards a two-state solution". When asked about a 2018 resolution to recognise the State of Palestine, Albanese insisted the motion "has no greater or lesser weight" than it did previously. In October 2022, his government reversed the Morrison government's decision to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel's capital. In December 2023, Albanese signed a joint statement, along with the prime ministers of Canada and New Zealand, calling for a ceasefire in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.

In February 2022, Albanese condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, remarking in a press release that it was a "grave moment for humanity".

In May 2022, Albanese said Australia's relationship with China would remain "a difficult one". He said that "Australia values human rights. We have spoken out about the treatment of Uyghurs, about what's occurred in Hong Kong, about Taiwan, about other minorities including in Tibet, that are suffering from human rights abuses."

Social issues

Albanese at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 2003

Albanese supports abortion rights, stating in an interview in August 2019 that he believes "women do have a right to choose". He is also in favour of legalising voluntary euthanasia; in December 2022, his government repealed the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997, which prevented the territories of Australia from legalising euthanasia.

Albanese is a supporter and advocate for LGBT rights, and has regularly participated in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras since 1983. When Labor Party members were granted a conscience vote on the Marriage Amendment Bill 2012, which would have legalised same-sex marriage in Australia, Albanese voted in favour of the bill, which was unsuccessful. He opposed holding a plebiscite for same-sex marriage, stating that "we shouldn't be having a public vote where we get to judge other families". In 2017, Albanese also voted in favour of the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017, the bill which ultimately legalised same-sex marriage. Albanese has voiced support of transgender rights, saying that "people coming to terms with their identity and who they are, I think that they need to be respected", although has voted against transgender rights in the past.

Early in his political career, Albanese supported drug decriminalisation, telling Parliament in 1997 that "drug use by individuals is a health issue, not a criminal issue". However, in February 2022, he declined to commit to decriminalisation of hard drugs, commenting that the "current settings are appropriate".

In July 2015, Albanese stated his opposition to the government's policy of turning back asylum seekers who arrive to the country via boat, saying: "I couldn't ask someone else to do something that I couldn't see myself doing ... if people were in a boat including families and children, I myself couldn't turn that around." During the 2022 federal election campaign, Albanese clarified that boat turnbacks would be incorporated into his government's policy, leading to some critics accusing him of "flip-flopping" on the issue. In August 2021, after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, Albanese urged the Morrison government to give Afghan refugees permanent residency in Australia.

In May 2024, Albanese voiced his support for raising the age at which a child can open a social media account from 13 to 16, citing concerns over the mental health of young people.

Personal life

In 2000, Albanese married Carmel Tebbutt, a future Deputy Premier of New South Wales. They had met in Young Labor during the late 1980s, and have one son together. The two separated in January 2019. In June 2020, it was reported that Albanese was in a relationship with Jodie Haydon. Albanese said they had met at a dinner event in Melbourne a year after his separation from Tebbutt. Albanese is the first divorcee to be appointed prime minister. In February 2024, Albanese announced his engagement to Haydon after proposing to her at The Lodge in Canberra, making him the first prime minister of Australia to be engaged while in office. Their wedding will be held after the next Australian federal election.

Albanese describes himself as "half-Italian and half-Irish" and a "non-practising Catholic". He is also a music fan who, not long after becoming prime minister, attended a Gang of Youths concert at the Enmore Theatre and previously intervened as transport minister to save a Dolly Parton tour from bureaucratic red tape. In 2013, he co-hosted a pre-election special of music program Rage and his song selection included the Pixies, the Pogues, the Smiths, the Triffids, PJ Harvey, Nirvana, Hunters & Collectors and Joy Division. On 30 November 2023, Albanese posted his Spotify Wrapped to his Instagram story, indicating his top artists to be Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Hilltop Hoods, Bruce Springsteen, and Lily Allen.

As a lifelong supporter of the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league club, Albanese was a board member of the club from 1999 to 2002 and influential in the fight to have the club readmitted to the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. During October 2009, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Albanese had opposed an attempt to appoint the former Liberal prime minister John Howard to a senior position in the NRL. Albanese stated he had phoned the NRL chief executive, David Gallop, as well as other league officials, to advise them against the idea. He then implored officials at Souths to help stop the suggestion from gaining momentum. In 2013, he was made a life member of the club. He is also a fan of Australian rules football, and supports the Hawthorn Football Club, with Albanese attending the 1991 AFL Grand Final which saw Hawthorn claim its 9th premiership.

Albanese was injured in a side collision while driving in Marrickville, New South Wales, on 8 January 2021. He underwent treatment at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and was reportedly "injured externally and internally and had suffered considerable shock in the immediate aftermath of the impact". The other driver was a 17-year-old who received a ticket for negligent driving. Emergency workers told Albanese that if the teen's car had hit just 30 centimetres either side of where it did, Albanese "would almost certainly have been killed". Shortly following this accident, Albanese lost over 18 kilograms (39 pounds) by cutting out carbohydrates and reducing his alcohol intake, in an effort to be "match fit" for his election campaign.

See also

• First Rudd Ministry (2007–2010)
• First Gillard Ministry (June–September 2010)
• Second Gillard Ministry (2010–2013)
• Second Rudd Ministry (June–September 2013)
• Shadow Ministry of Anthony Albanese (2019–2022)
• Albanese Ministry (2022–present)

References

Bibliography

• Middleton, Karen (2016). Albanese: Telling It Straight. Random House Australia. ISBN 9781925324730.

External links

• Official website
• Search or browse Hansard for Anthony Albanese at OpenAustralia.org