New Australia PM Kevin Rudd unveils cabinet line-up
Tuesday, 2 July 2013 00:00
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Australia’s new prime minister, Kevin Rudd, has unveiled his cabinet, five days after ousting Julia Gillard as Labor Party leader.
The cabinet contains a record number of women and many Rudd backers, who replace Gillard loyalists who stepped down after the leadership change.
The foreign affairs, defence and home affairs ministers remained unchanged.
The new cabinet was sworn in on Monday and was to hold its first meeting shortly afterwards.
Kevin Rudd ousted Ms Gillard amid poll figures showing she was on course for a crushing defeat in a general election that is currently set for 14 September.
A poll on Sunday showed the return of Rudd - who Ms Gillard ousted as prime minister just over three years ago - had, as expected, given Labor a boost.
The Galaxy Research poll found support for Labor - if the two main parties were compared - had jumped by four percentage points to 49%, with the Liberals on 51%.
Rudd was significantly ahead of opposition leader Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister, the poll showed, with 51% to Abbott’s 34%.
