Two Ministers Resign Prompting Anthony Albanese to Reshuffle Cabinet
Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney and Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor will be stepping down from their portfolios.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be reshuffling his ministerial cabinet following the announcement that two ministers will retire at the next election.
Linda Burney, the first Indigenous woman elected to the House of Representatives in 2016, and Brendan O’Connor, a long-serving Labor minister elected to parliament in 2001, have decided to make way for new talent.
After discussions with the two ministers about their future, Mr. Albanese has confirmed that they will not be contesting the next election.
As a result, they will be stepping down from their ministry to allow a refresh and new ministers to take their place as the country moves towards the upcoming election in 2025.
Front Bench Reshuffle on Sunday
The new ministry will be sworn in the following day after the announcement of the new ministerial lineup in Canberra on Sunday, as stated by Mr. Albanese.
Both Ms. Burney and Mr. O’Connor have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to the government and the country, with Mr. Albanese expressing his pride in calling them his friends.
After 21 years in politics, including time in federal parliament and the New South Wales Parliament, Ms. Burney feels it is time to pass the baton onto the next generation.
Mr. O’Connor has expressed his desire to spend more time at home and contribute to the renewal and regeneration of the party after serving as a minister for almost half of his 23 years as a frontbencher.
The reshuffle by Mr. Albanese is expected to be the final one before the election, as he aims to be reelected and serve a full term as prime minister.
Voice Was a ‘Debacle’: Opposition
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has criticized Ms. Burney’s involvement in The Voice referendum, calling it a waste of taxpayers’ money and a divisive issue for the country.
He believes that focusing on economic decisions to reduce inflation and other cost of living pressures should have been the priority instead of The Voice initiative.
