工党副党魁Tanya Plibersek(左)和工党党魁Bill Shorten(右),资料图
东南网澳大利亚站7月25日综合报道 (本站记者 彭寒 实习记者 王慧明)在工党党魁Bill Shorten 近日宣布的32位新影子内阁名单中,仅有5位议员保持了职位不变。在此次变动中,马来西亚华裔议员Penny Wong(黄英贤)接替工党副党魁Tanya Plibersek职务,从贸易与投资影子部长(Trade and Investment)转任影子外交部长一职,这也是该职位历史上出现的首个亚裔面孔。
外交事务亚裔面孔
Penny Wong再次创造历史,资料图
Penny Wong的中文名叫黄英贤,是出生在马来西亚的华裔,其父为客家人的后代。她8岁跟随母亲来到澳大利亚,在这里长大并完成学业。
作为澳大利亚历史上第一位亚裔女性参议员,Penny Wong在她的从政之路上每走一步都在创造新的历史。在2010年至2013年期间,她分别在Julia Gillard(朱丽亚·吉拉德)和Kevin Rudd(陆克文)政府下担任财务部长,她也是澳大利亚历史上第一位亚裔财务部长。
2013年,虽然工党在大选中败北,Penny Wong仍然被工党委以反对党参议院领袖的重任,再次创造历史,成为该职位历史上首位女性。
本次当选影子外交部长,再次创造澳大利亚亚裔政治历史的同时,Penny Wong本人也表示自己十分荣幸。
“很荣幸被任命为影子外交部长,感谢Bill和Tanya给我这个机会。”Penny Wong在个人社交媒体上写道。
影子国防部换帅
前影子国防部发言人Stephen Conroy曾就南海问题强硬表态,资料图
国防影子部长一职由原移民部长Richard Marles接任,而原国防影子部长Stephen Conroy则改任体育与特殊事务(Sport and Special)部长。 对于这一项变动,不少外媒认为,这是对Stephen Conroy职务上的削减。
此前,Stephen Conroy曾在中国南海问题上发表强硬言论,并支持澳大利亚派军舰进入中国南海,以此来践行自由航行(Freedom Of Navigation)。对此,Bill Shorten 否认这一言论是导致Stephen Conroy离开国防部长职位的原因。
“工党会一直支持国际海洋公约,”Bill Shorten 声明,“所以在南海问题上,工党的政策没有变化。”
教育,民生以及多元文化
原影子外交部长,副党魁Tanya Plibersek将出任教育部长。“对工党来说,在第45届国会的议题中,教育将排在经济和社会之前成为重中之重,”Bill Shorten 在采访中表示。
Bill Shorten 自己将负责原住民事务。除此之外,经济,资源,工业,科技等重要部门也都更换了各自的一把手。
在这场变动中,工党的前座中也出现了第一位女性原住民议员Linda Burney,以及两位穆斯林影子前座成员 Ed Husic 和Sam Dastryari。
“我们将继续夯实前三年垫定的坚实基础,并在国事对话带来新的声音,”Bill Shorten 在采访中说。
Bill Shorten Announces New Shadow Ministry, With Penny Wong Assumes Foreign Affairs
By Rita, Southeast Net Australia, 25 July
Opposition leader Bill Shorten has announced a big shake-up of Labor's front bench with new 32-member frontbench, among which Penny Wong, who is a Malaysian Australian of Chinese heritage,will move out the Trade and Investment portfolio and take on the Foreign Affairs portfolio.
Penny Wong, the holder of countless records of Asian Australian politics, just made a new history of becoming the first Asian Australian to assume top Foreign Affair portfolio in major parties.
Meanwhile Labor's defense spokesman Stephen Conroy hands out his job and move into Sport and Special portfolio, which is described as a “demotion”. Senator Conroy has taken a hawkish stance towards China's growing military presence in the South China Sea, but Mr. Shorten insisted changing his title did not mean Labor would soften its stance on the issue.
"In terms of support for the United Nations Law of the Sea conventions, that's the absolute policy of the Labor party,” Mr. Shorten said to ABC News, “Nothing has changed for Labor in South China Sea.”
As expected, deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek will leave foreign affairs to take up a super-charged education portfolio comprising both schools and universities.
"Education ... is a first order economic and social priority for Labor in the 45th parliament. Investing in education is the key to Australia's prosperity." Mr. Shorten said in Canberra.
The expanded 32-member line up also includes the first female indigenous MP, Linda Burney, and the first two Muslim shadow ministers in Ed Husic and Sam Dastyari.
"We're building on the strong policy foundation of the last three years and will bring fresh voices to the national conversation." Bill Shorten told ABC News.