Anthony Albanese unveils his new-look cabinet, moving Tanya Plibersek and elevating Anne Aly

Anthony Albanese has unveiled his new-look cabinet, elevating one woman into his cabinet for the first time and moving another key figure from a major portfolio.

Anthony Albanese has unveiled his new-look cabinet in Canberra after his historic victory that has the ALP on track to secure 92-plus seats in the House of Representatives.

The Prime Minister outlined his new team at a press conference, revealing a record number of women will join cabinet including West Australian Anne Aly.

Ms Aly will enter the cabinet and take on the small business, international development and multicultural affairs portfolio.

In a major development, Tanya Plibersek has been moved from the environment portfolio and moved to social services.

Mr Albanese was grilled about the decision to move Ms Plibersek on from the key portfolio.

“How did Tanya Plibersek take being given the Social Services portfolio and did you give any consideration to shifting Chris Bowen?” asked one reporter.

“She was very positive about it,” Mr Albanese replied.

He was pressed further about the decision later in the press conference, with a reporter asking him to explain his decision to move Murray Watt into the role.

“I have changed a range of portfolios,” Mr Albanese replied.

“I have got people who are, I think, in the best positions and that’s across the board. There has been multiple changes made in the cabinet. That’s what happens and just as there are new members entering the cabinet, there were new members last year as well.”

Tanya Plibersek has been moved from the environment portfolio. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Anne Aly is part of Mr Albanese’s new-look cabinet. Picture: ABC

Albo unveils new players, hits back at ‘factional assassin’ claim

Two ministers have been dumped from cabinet amid fierce fighting from the party’s right faction: Labor MPs Ed Husic and Mark Dreyfus.

Former communications minister Michelle Rowland will take on Mr Dreyfus’ Attorney General position while Tim Ayres has been promoted to take over Mr Husic as industry minister.

Mr Husic held a face-to-face meeting with Mr Albanese this morning in the Prime Minister’s office in Canberra.

It followed an explosive interview on the ABC’s Insiders where he let rip over Gaza and called deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles “a factional assassin”.

Mr Albanese said the tag was “unfair”.

Asked about his meeting with Mr Husic this morning, the Prime Minister said it was “constructive”.

“The process occurred in the normal way of the Caucus, the way we select the ministry and I had a constructive discussion with Ed (Husic) this morning,’’ Mr Albanese said.

“I always have constructive discussions with Caucus members and with other members of the parliament.

“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.”

Asked if the “factional assassin” claim was fair, Mr Albanese said it was not.

“Obviously not. We had this system that was put in place when I was Deputy PM,’’ he said.

He noted the role of the factions to choose the ministry had changed in 2013 under Kevin Rudd before being restored.

Anne Aly: first female parliamentarian of Islamic faith

While Ms Aly is regarded as overdue for a promotion, it will also ensure that Labor’s cabinet includes a minister of Muslim faith.

Mr Albanese was asked why “only a quarter of the people being put forward” at the assistant ministry level were female when the Labor Party room was 57 per cent female.

“I think this is, in terms of the ministry and the cabinet, is the most significant representation of women ever - ever,” Mr Albanese replied.

“That is just a fact that it stands out and I am very proud to have so many women in various senior roles.”

Senator Tim Ayres has been promoted to industry minister. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Industry minister Ed Husic was dumped amid fierce factional fighting. Picture: ABC

The ministers who will remain in their posts include Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Defence Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Trade Minister Don Farrell.

Health Minister Mark Butler will also take on responsibility for the National Disability Insurance Scheme with NSW Senator Jenny McAllister in the outer ministry as Minister for the NDIS.

Victorians Dan Mulino, Jess Walsh and Sam Rae will all join the outer ministry for the first time as Assistant Treasurer, Early Childhood and Aged Care respectively.

NSW’s Andrew Charlton will take on the role of cabinet secretary and Assistant Minister for Science despite not being originally listed by caucus in the list provided by the factions.

He hails from Labor’s Right faction.

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil and Energy Minister Chris Bowen will retain their portfolios unchanged.

Victoria’s Tim Watts has been dumped from a junior role to the position of special envoy for the Indian Ocean.

The Australian Financial Review reported on Monday that Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke will expand his portfolio to include some of outgoing Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’ responsibility for the spy agency ASIO and the AFP.

Richard Marles (c) and Penny Wong (R) will remain in their posts. Picture: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty

That’s noteworthy as it’s a return to the model championed by former public servant Mike Pezzullo when the spy agency powers were centralised in Peter Dutton’s office in Home Affairs.

Historically, that was opposed by the AFP and former Liberal Attorney-General George Brandis.

Senator Tim Ayres arrived in Parliament in 2019. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Promotion for Tim Ayres

A beer-skolling unionist who campaigned for the 2025 election by demonstrating his ability to down a beer in one go is the real reason the Prime Minister wanted to dump Ed Husic according to Labor insiders.

His new pick as Industry Minister is tipped to be NSW Senator Tim Ayres, who arrived in Parliament in 2019.

As Assistant Minister for Manufacturing in the Albanese Government, he spearheaded Labor’s Future Made in Australia agenda and is personally close to Labor Senate leader Penny Wong and other senior ministers.