Albanese Prioritizes Student Debt Reduction Amid Diverse Cabinet Shakeup

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that his administration's top legislative priority will be reducing student debt by 20%, amid skyrocketing real estate prices that complicate homeownership for many young Australians burdened with loans. This initiative underscores an emphasis on intergenerational equity as Labour celebrates an emphatic electoral victory.

Despite the triumph, Albanese's new cabinet faced criticism for excluding key Jewish and Muslim figures, including Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Industry Minister Ed Husic. Their exclusion marks a significant shift in representation and prompted appeals for reconsideration from community leaders like Sydney's Jamal Rifi.

Labour's victory reflects a more diverse representative body, with projections indicating that 57% of its elected lawmakers are women. However, cabinet appointments stir controversy as Albanese contends with the party's factional demands while shaping a government to reflect Australia's increasingly diverse demographic and socio-political landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)