Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today unveiled his new cabinet, including a record number of six women, along with the first ever Muslim in the country’s parliament. Governor-General Quentin Bryce swore in the ministers this afternoon before a first cabinet meeting in Canberra.
Rudd named six women to his cabinet, the largest number in Australian parliamentary history. Days after he dramatically ousted the country’s first woman premier Julia Gillard, the 55-year-old Rudd named 11 women ministers out of the 30 all up on the frontbench – and six in cabinet. In another first, 43-year-old Ed Husic was elevated to a senior role and named parliament secretary to the Prime Minister as he become the first ever Muslim to be sworn on to a federal government frontbench. Rudd staged a remarkable comeback by winning a caucus vote by 57 to 45 last week, three years after Gillard toppled him in a similar showdown to become the first woman premier. Rudd said he wanted the “best players on the field” and his new ministry has been chosen on merit and it outpoints the opposition on quality and experience, local media reported.
He pledged to work for a “stronger, fairer Australia… and never ever, ever allow the fair-go to be thrown out the backdoor.” The women ministers include newcomers Jacinta Collins as minister of Mental Health and Ageing, Tasmanian MP Julie Collins as minister for housing, Homelessnes and status of Women and Catherine King as minister for Regional Australia. Following the appointment of the women, Rudd said women in his ministry were there based on their talents, not their gender. (PTI)