Australia’s New Government Key Concerns: Climate Change and Debt  & More News Here

Climate change and the economic system are rising as key challenges for Australia’s new left-of-center authorities. Almost two weeks after the May 21 election, Labor has now gained sufficient seats to type a majority authorities after the counting of postal votes. There can be a document variety of ladies in Cabinet.

“This is far more representative than any government party room has ever been in our history. We are making progress,” mentioned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Ten ladies are within the 23-member Cabinet. Analysts consider the appointments carve out area for bettering gender parity in what has been a male-dominated political tradition in Australian politics.

Anika Wells, the brand new minister for Aged Care and Sport, mentioned she’s prepared for the duty forward. “I feel very honored that I have been given such a big reform task to do in the Albanese Labor government and I’m really looking forward to getting started.”

Cost-of-living pressures have been a eager concern for voters main as much as the May 21 election. The COVID-19 pandemic has left Australia with document quantities of presidency debt following large jobs and wages subsidies throughout the pandemic.

Managing the economic system would be the authorities’s foremost home focus, mentioned Stewart Jackson, a senior lecturer within the division of presidency and worldwide relations on the University of Sydney.

“The biggest domestic concern that Labor faces now is the budget and indeed the slowly declining economic situation finds itself in,” he mentioned.

Australia has tried to counter China’s rising diplomatic ambitions within the South Pacific. Beijing just lately signed a safety pact with Solomon Islands however has failed to steer different island nations to affix a broader regional accord.

Australia this week despatched its international minister Penny Wong to Samoa and Tonga.

Jackson believes that Canberra’s commitments on local weather change, one other key problem for the Labor authorities, can be properly acquired throughout the area.

“Climate change is, of course, the issue of the day for many of the South Pacific nations,” he mentioned. “So, actions by Australia on climate change will actually have a positive impact on the South Pacific and certainly Australia’s slightly frayed relations with near neighbors. China is ever present, but I do believe that the ALP (Australian Labor Party) will look to diplomacy, rather than saber-rattling, to improve the relationship.”

Australia has had only one feminine prime minister. But the brand new parliament is numerous with a document variety of Indigenous members, together with others with Asian heritage.

And with a majority in parliament, Labor’s coverage agenda can be simpler to implement.