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Who is Anthony Albanese? Facts you must know about Australia's Prime Minister-elect
Albanese promised to cut carbon emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels, boost renewables, offer discounts for electric cars, and help build community-owned solar power and battery projects.
Anthony Albanese is all set to become the Australian Prime Minister after his Labor party toppled the Conservative government, after almost a decade in power, in the general elections held over the weekend. In his election victory speech, Albanese promised to cut carbon emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels, boost renewables, offer discounts for electric cars, and help build community-owned solar power and battery projects.
Here are five things to know about the Australia PM-elect:
>Albanese has had a humble start to life as the only child of a single mother who raised him on a pension in a public housing estate.
>He has described himself as the only candidate with a “non-Anglo Celtic name” to run for prime minister in the 121 years that the office has existed.
>Albanese has promised to rehabilitate Australia's international reputation as a climate change laggard with steeper cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.
>He is still widely known by his childhood nickname Albo.
>Albanese says he has three great faiths: the Catholic Church, the Labor Party and the South Sydney Rabbitohs, a professional rugby league team, TIME reported.
>He has been the leader of the Australian opposition since 2019 and served as a cabinet minister under the governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
>Albanese "is no stranger to India" having backpacked through the country in 1991, the Australian high commissioner to India said on Saturday.
"Australia's PM-elect Anthony Albanese is no stranger to India having travelled the country as a backpacker in 1991 and led a parliamentary delegation in 2018. During (the) campaign he committed to deepen economic, strategic and people-to-people links," Barry O'Farrell AO said.
>The Labor has promised more financial assistance and a robust social safety net as Australia grapples with the highest inflation since 2001 and soaring housing prices.
The party also plans to increase minimum wages, and on the foreign policy front, it proposed to establish a Pacific defence school to train neighbouring armies in response to China’s potential military presence on the Solomon Islands on Australia’s doorstep.
(With agency inputs)
