50-50 is aim as 13-woman Labor ministry unveiled

Anthony Albanese says his ­government will work towards having a cabinet with 50-50 ­gender representation after unveiling a record 13 women in his first ministry.

Minister for Early Childhood Education and for Youth Anne Aly. Picture: Facebook

Anthony Albanese says his ­government will work towards having a cabinet with 50-50 ­gender representation after unveiling a record 13 women in his first ministry.

The Prime Minister said the government was “very close” to having equal gender representation in the ministry, despite the number of women in cabinet falling from the number that served in shadow cabinet ahead of the election.

Queensland senator Murray Watt took the cabinet position left vacant by former Griffith MP Terri Butler, with 10 out of 23 cabinet members being women.

This compared with 11 out of 23 in the pre-election shadow ­cabinet.

The number of women in the leadership group also fell with South Australian senator Don Farrell replacing former senator Kristina Keneally as the deputy Senate leader.

Senate leader Penny Wong is the only women in the leadership group, which also includes Mr Albanese and Richard Marles.

However, the number of women in the broader frontbench increased from 12 to 13 out of 30, with Queensland Right MP Anika Wells replacing Blair MP Shayne Neumann.

Mr Albanese defended the gender balance of his ministry despite not achieving equal representation, noting there were 19 women on the frontbench including assistant ministers.

“This is the largest number of women who have ever served in an Australian cabinet, with 10 women in cabinet,” he said.

“In addition to that, in terms of the ministry, there are 13 women in ministry and 19 frontbenchers.

“A record number in all three categories for women’s representation in cabinet, in ministry and in frontbench positions.”

Tanya Plibersek was stripped of the women’s portfolio, which was given to Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, who was accused of being part of a clique of “mean girls” that ostracised the late senator Kimberley Kitching.

Mr Albanese said the government was “very close” to equal gender representation in cabinet.

“I want to see us move towards 50-50 representation across all of the spectrum,” he said.

“I also want to see a parliament and a government that reflects the diversity that is there of the Australian people themselves.

“When I looked at the caucus today, around (at) the people who have been elected, this is far more representative than any government partyroom has ever been, in our history.

“We were making progress.”

Half of the Left faction’s 14 frontbench members are women, with six out of 16 Right faction frontbenchers being female.

Over the past week, Labor MPs believed the push for more female representation was likely to prevent Senator Watt from being promoted to cabinet, despite his strong performances in the last term of parliament.

Mr Albanese defended the reduction of women in the four-member leadership group, saying it “can’t be said to not have women in leadership positions”.

There were eight women in Scott Morrison’s cabinet, and one in the outer ministry.

Tony Abbott infamously only appointed one woman in his first cabinet, the then deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop.

Coalition MPs have conceded it lost support among women at the last election.