AUSTRALIA: New cabinet line up
Updated
Australian prime minister-elect Kevin Rudd has named his new cabinet after sweeping conservative leader John Howard from power in Saturday's election. Mr Rudd has strengthened the foreign affairs ministry, with two parliamentary positions aimed at building stronger international relations, especially in the South Pacific.
Presenter: Graeme Dobell
Speakers: Australia's prime minister elect Kevin Rudd; Australia's new opposition leader Brendan Nelson
DOBELL: In announcing his new Cabinet, Kevin Rudd broke the rules of the Labor caucus and overturned more than a century of tradition. Since 1905, the Labor Caucus has elected the front bench, leaving the Prime Minister the job of allocating portfolios. As Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd cast all that aside, and announced that he would choose all his front bench.
In foreign affairs that meant that Mr Rudd moved the shadow Education Minister, Stephen Smith, across to become Foreign Minister.
Mr Smith, a lawyer, entered Parliament in 1993 after serving as Labor Party secretary in Western Australia and as an adviser to Prime Minister Paul Keating. Announcing his new Foreign Minister, Mr Rudd pointed to the role of Western Australia in fuelling Australia's resource-export boom to Asia, and also to India.
RUDD: It's critical for Australia as we again seek to assert an independent voice of Australia in the affairs of the world. I think also Stephen as a senior minister from Western Australia will pay particular attention to the integration of Western Australia into the foreign policy dealings of the nation. This nation doesn't just look east, it looks north and it looks west. I think it's very important that people think west and not just east. Secondly if you look at time zone advantages in Western Australia it's pretty interesting. Most of the capitals of East Asia fall within the Perth time zone, and if you're in Perth the number of informal weekend visits undertaken by various ministers of regional governments and heads of government to Perth I think is significant. I think it's an important way in which we can start to widen the informal and formal network of Australia's engagements with the region.
DOBELL: The other Cabinet post in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade goes to a former Labor Party Leader, Simon Crean, who will serve as Trade Minister.
RUDD: It's time for Australia to resume its proper place of leadership into negotiation of a global free trade round. That leadership position has become diminished and during the period of the current government.
DOBELL: Beneath the Foreign Minister are two Parliamentary secretary jobs, both filled by former Labor Cabinet Ministers. The former Trade Minister, Bob McMullan, is to be responsible for international development.
RUDD: This is a matter near and dear to my own heart. I believe that Australia needs to lift its contribution to the region and the world in how we assist with the great tasks for poverty and under-development. If we fail to do that in our region we're writing long-term problems for the nation.
DOBELL: The former Justice Minister, Duncan Kerr, has been given the job of repairing Australia's relations with the South Pacific after some bruising arguments with Islands states - especially Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
RUDD: If you notice anything about our relations with the South Pacific in recent years they've gone through one rocky patch after another. I would suggest having a dedicated parliamentary secretary and somone with such extensive experience as Duncan charged with that responsibility will help rebuild the fabric of personal and political relationships with the governments of the South Pacific.
DOBELL: While the Labor Cabinet was being formed, the Liberal Party was meeting to start the rebuilding job after Saturday's election defeat. The Prime Minister, John Howard, lost his Parliamentary seat while the deputy Liberal Leader, the Treasurer, Peter Costello, announced that he didn't want the top job. The Party room elected as the new Liberal leader the Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson.
Dr Nelson immediately junked one bit of policy. After 11 and a half years in government refusing to ratify the UN Kyoto Protocol on climate change, the new Opposition leader backed the Labor Government's move to ratify.
NELSON: It's obvious that ratification of Kyoto is something which is of concern to Australians, that's a message that we have heard and as I say we will support ratification.
DOBELL: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is flying to Bali in about ten days time to attend the UN climate conference.
And the Opposition Leader says that in ratifying Kyoto, Australia must redouble its effort to broaden the process beyond the developed economies. Dr Nelson says that the next stage of Kyoto, after 2012 must bring in the big developing economies - and polluters - led by China and India.
