TRANSCRIPT
In a major shake-up in Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has undertaken his first cabinet reshuffle since taking office.
The move follows the retirement of two key cabinet ministers, Linda Burney and Brendan O'Connor.
Among the most significant changes are the removal of Clare O'Neil from Home Affairs to Housing and Homelessness and the removal of Andrew Giles from Immigration to Skills and Training in the outer ministry.
All appointees have been sworn in by the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Sam Mostyn.
First up was Tony Burke who is taking on several portfolios including Home Affairs, which Ms O'Neil previously held.
“I, Anthony Stephen Burke, do swear that I will well and truly serve the Commonwealth of Australia, her land and her people in the offices of Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and Minister for cybersecurity, and Minister for the Arts, so help me God.”
Mr Burke will also continue to serve as Leader of the House.
This reshuffle comes amidst political pressure following a High Court ruling that led to the release of over 150 former immigration detainees.
While the Opposition has called for accountability, Mr Albanese insists that these changes were not a direct response to the ruling.
He says the reshuffle was part of a broader strategy to refresh and diversify the government’s team.
When asked on Sunday whether Mr Burke would be capable of the hefty role, Mr Albanese was confident.
“He's certainly up for it. I gave a lot of thought to the appropriate structure and that's one of the reasons for the structure which is there. One minister and two junior assistants to them is, I think, the right structure.”
Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton, has hinted that the removal of Ms O'Neil and Mr Giles from Home Affairs and Immigration is proof that they have failed in their portfolios, something Mr Albanese disagrees with.
“Peter Dutton will be negative. I'll give you that big tip. He'll be destructive. He'll attack people. He'll engage in the sort of vilification which is his specialty, his team keep telling him to smile more, but I've seen no evidence that any of that is working. What I see is his relentless negativity and the fact is that Peter Dutton left a mess in the portfolios in which he held. Peter Dutton was one of the people in the former government who presided over the dysfunction that's been identified through the reviews that have taken place, there's been three of them.”
Mr Burke's appointment as Immigration minister brings little hope for Afifeh Saeidazi, a refugee from Iran.
For the past 14 days, she and around a dozen other refugees have been protesting outside Clare O'Neil's office, 24 hours a day, staying in tents.
Ms Saeidazi is disappointed that neither Ms O'Neil nor anyone from her office came down to talk to those gathered.
“She never show up. She never came to see or send someone to ask what do you want us to door find the solution together until last night.”
Today, Ms Saeidazi and the protestors are packing up their tents and heading to the Home Affairs department to set up camp over there.
“But now, our team and all those people that are sitting there, we move to other place, front of the Department of Home Affairs which is in Docklands. We will continue. We will not be silenced anymore. We are not going to stop. We are still going to be 24/7 until we get a solution.”
Ms Saeidazi says she has little faith that Mr Burke will be any less dismissive of their demands.
“It's not about one person, or one side of the government that they can help or finish this limbo. We asked both governments, the current and the previous one. We encourage everyone, we asking everyone, please, please end this limbo, finish finish this uncertainty. This is messed up. You all sadly have hands on it and you are the ones who can finish it. We are asking all of them. Previous and current. Labor and Liberal the solution is in their hand.”
Away from the Immigration and Home Affairs portfolios , also sworn in as the new Minister for Indigenous Australians was Malarndirri McCarthy who has stepped into the role previously held by Linda Burney.
ALBANESE: Senator, the Honourable Malarndirri McCarthy as Minister for Indigenous Australians.
MOSTYN: Miss McCarthy, I invite you to take and subscribe the oath of office as Minister for Indigenous Australians.
MCCARTHY: I Malarndirri Barbara McCarthy do swear that I will well and truly served the Commonwealth of Australia, her land and her people in the office of Minister for Indigenous Australians. So help me God.”
Other changes see Murray Watt moving from Agriculture to Employment and Workplace Relations.
Julie Collins is returning to Agriculture, a portfolio she previously held, and Pat Conroy will retain his Defence Industry and Pacific portfolios while joining the cabinet.
Jenny McAllister will take up Cities and Emergency Management in the outer ministry, and Kate Thwaites, Julian Hill, and Josh Wilson have all been promoted to assistant ministers.
With Linda Burney and Brendan O'Connor retiring and assistant minister Carol Brown stepping back due to health reasons, Mr Albanese paid tribute to their contributions.
“I do want to again pay tribute to Brendan O'Connor and Linda Burney for their extraordinary contribution to our nation over a long period of time. I also want to thank Carol Brown. Carol Brown is stepping back as an Assistant Minister to prioritise her health. Something that some of you would be aware of the issues that she's been dealing with and she's made, I think, the right decision in order to do that, but she'll continue to serve Tasmania as a senator and continue to be an outstanding representative for Tasmania, a passionate Tasmanian.”
