Anthony Albanese
Encyclopedia
Anthony Norman Albanese (born 2 March 1963), Australian politician, who serves as Leader of the House of Representatives
and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport in the Gillard Ministry
. He has been an Australian Labor Party
member of the Australian House of Representatives
since March 1996, representing the Division of Grayndler
, New South Wales
.
, a independent Catholic boys' school in Sydney, and at the University of Sydney
, which awarded him a Bachelor's degree in economics.
Albanese was employed by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia
before entering politics.
, (1985–89), Assistant General Secretary of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party (1989–95), and senior policy adviser to the Premier of New South Wales, Bob Carr (1995–96).
Following his entry in to parliament in 1996, Albanese was promoted to the Opposition Shadow Ministry in 1998. He was Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage in 2004–05. In June 2005 he became Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage, Shadow Minister for Water, and Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House. In December 2006 he was appointed Shadow Minister for Water and Infrastructure.
In the 2007 Federal election in which Labor came to power, Albanese was re-elected to the seat of Grayndler with a 3.72% swing toward the Labor Party. As part of the First Rudd Ministry
, it was announced that Albanese would become the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. The new Ministry was sworn in at Government House on 3 December.
In October 2009 the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Albanese, a long-standing fan and former board member of South Sydney Rabbitohs, had opposed an attempt to appoint the former Liberal Prime Minister
John Howard
to a senior position in the NRL. Albanese admitted he had phoned the NRL chief executive, David Gallop
, as well as other league officials to advise them against the idea. He then implored officials at Souths to help stop the suggestion from gaining momentum.
Albanese is from the left Labor faction.
, former Deputy Premier of New South Wales and the member for the state electoral district of Marrickville
, which lies within the borders of Grayndler. They have one son. Albanese describes himself as a "non-practicising Catholic
." He describes his ethnicity as "half Italian and half Irish".
Leader of the House (Australia)
The office of Leader of the House in the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Australia exists in order for the management of government business, involving such matters as the following:* the order in which Government issues are to be dealt with...
and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport in the Gillard Ministry
Gillard Ministry
The First Gillard Ministry was the 66th Australian ministry. It was led by Julia Gillard of the Australian Labor Party.The Gillard Ministry took effect on 24 June 2010 with the swearing in of Julia Gillard as Prime Minister and Wayne Swan as Deputy Prime Minister. All the members of former Prime...
. He has been an Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
since March 1996, representing the Division of Grayndler
Division of Grayndler
The Division of Grayndler is an Australian Electoral Division in inner Metropolitan Sydney, New South Wales. It is one of Australia's smallest electorates, located in the inner-southern Sydney metropolitan area, including parts of the inner-west...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Education and early career
Albanese was educated at St Mary's Cathedral CollegeSt Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney
St Mary's Cathedral College is a private, Catholic, secondary day school for boys, located in the Central Business District of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is owned by the Archbishop of Sydney and operates as a systemic school....
, a independent Catholic boys' school in Sydney, and at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, which awarded him a Bachelor's degree in economics.
Albanese was employed by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia is a multinational bank with businesses across New Zealand, Fiji, Asia, USA and the United Kingdom. Commonwealth Bank provides a variety of financial services including retail, business and institutional banking, funds management, superannuation, insurance,...
before entering politics.
Political career
Albanese was research officer to the Minister for Local Government and Administrative Services, Tom UrenTom Uren
Thomas Uren, AO was a Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party. He helped establish the heritage and conservation movement in Australia and, in particular, worked to preserve the heritage of inner Sydney.-Early life:...
, (1985–89), Assistant General Secretary of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party (1989–95), and senior policy adviser to the Premier of New South Wales, Bob Carr (1995–96).
In the 2007 Federal election in which Labor came to power, Albanese was re-elected to the seat of Grayndler with a 3.72% swing toward the Labor Party. As part of the First Rudd Ministry
First Rudd Ministry
The Rudd Ministry was the 65th Australian Commonwealth ministry. It was led by Kevin Rudd of the Australian Labor Party.The Ministry was sworn in by the 24th Governor-General of Australia Major-General Michael Jeffery on 3 December 2007, following the 2007 election, and it ended on 24 June 2010...
, it was announced that Albanese would become the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. The new Ministry was sworn in at Government House on 3 December.
In October 2009 the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Albanese, a long-standing fan and former board member of South Sydney Rabbitohs, had opposed an attempt to appoint the former Liberal Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
to a senior position in the NRL. Albanese admitted he had phoned the NRL chief executive, David Gallop
David Gallop
David Gallop is an Australian sports administrator who has been the Chief Executive Officer of the National Rugby League since February 2002. He has also been the Secretary of the Rugby League International Federation since its inception in 1998.-Early life:...
, as well as other league officials to advise them against the idea. He then implored officials at Souths to help stop the suggestion from gaining momentum.
Albanese is from the left Labor faction.
Personal life
Albanese is married to Carmel TebbuttCarmel Tebbutt
Carmel Mary Tebbutt is an Australian politician. She is the Australian Labor Party Member for Marrickville in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was Deputy Premier of New South Wales from 2008 to 2011. She was also Minister for Health in the Keneally Government...
, former Deputy Premier of New South Wales and the member for the state electoral district of Marrickville
Electoral district of Marrickville
Marrickville is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a 13.47 km² urban electorate in Sydney's inner west, centred on the suburb of Marrickville from which it takes its name...
, which lies within the borders of Grayndler. They have one son. Albanese describes himself as a "non-practicising Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
." He describes his ethnicity as "half Italian and half Irish".