Australia's new cabinet has record number of women!

Highlights

• Among 23 members of the newly formed Australian cabinet, 10 are women.
• Eminent appointments include Penny Wong as Foreign Minister, Claire O'Neil for the post of Home Affairs and Cyber Security Minister, Katy Gallagher being Finance Minister.
• These women hail from diverse backgrounds, and their appointments ensure not only gender inclusivity but also racial, religious, and ethnic inclusivity. 

“We need more women in leadership” is a famous saying and has received more voice in the present contemporary times. Australia has recently seen it happen.

Anthony Albanese won the Australian federal elections in 2022 and formed his new cabinet recently. Interestingly, the new Prime Minister has a record number of women in the national cabinet.

More women in Australian cabinet than ever before

Among 23 members of the newly formed cabinet, 10 are women. It is astonishing news because the previous Scott Morrison’s Liberal-National coalition government had seven women in the cabinet. The eminent appointments include Penny Wong as Foreign Minister, Claire O'Neil for the post of Home Affairs and Cyber Security Minister, and Katy Gallagher becoming the new Finance Minister.

Notably, all these women hail from diverse backgrounds. So, their appointments ensure not only gender inclusivity but also racial, religious, and ethnic inclusivity.

Diversity in new cabinet

The newly appointed ten women ministers belong to different races, religions, and ethnicities. Some hail from religious minorities, and some are Indigenous Aboriginals. For instance, Industry Minister Ed Husic and Youth Minister Anne Aly have become the country’s first Muslim federal ministers. Linda Burney, who wore a kangaroo-skin cloak at the ceremony, became the first Aboriginal woman to hold the Indigenous Australians ministry. Penny Wong, Australia’s new Foreign Minister, is the first foreign minister hailing from an Asian background.

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Source: © Torontojoni | Megapixl.com

Significance of political diversity

Diversity is of utmost significance for a country’s cabinet. The cabinet represents a country, and if there is no efficient representation of people of all religions, races, and backgrounds, then the cabinet structure is flawed. The newly elected Labor government has played its cards right and selected 10 women in its 23 members group. However, although we do not have a 50-50 share of men and women yet, it is still milestone that can pave the path towards optimum equality.

With better women representation in parliament, Australia can reach the level where the ministries have 50% or more women. The ideal stats are in the countries such as Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Spain, and Sweden. Lastly, women need to come into leadership, not in one sector in particular but all the sectors.

Women leadership is essential for equal representation of genders and for promoting women of all backgrounds to come forward and take charge of taking the world in the right progressive direction.