Gov names new tech, communications ministers

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has unveiled the communications, cyber security and digital economy ministers for his returning government.

The new ministry is set to be sworn in on Tuesday morning.

The big change is to the communications portfolio, with the previous minister Michelle Rowland promoted to Attorney-General.

The new communications minister will be Anika Wells from Queensland.

In the last parliament, Wells was the minister for aged care and minister for sport. She retains responsibility for sport, in addition to now taking on the communications portfolio.

Asked about the new dual portfolio role, Albanese emphasized the continuity of sports leadership at a federal level, but did not make reference to communications-related work.

Albanese said that the sport portfolio is being transferred from health to infrastructure.

“We’re putting sport with infrastructure, it’s one of the changes that we’ll make to [bring] sport across from health,” he said.

“The Commonwealth major responsibility for sport is essentially infrastructure so it will go in the department that includes infrastructure [and] communications. 

“It was a natural fit as well to have Anika Wells. There’s this thing happening in 2032 in Brisbane and that will be a big focus of sporting activity leading up to there, and Anika has played a really important role as well as a Queenslander in getting that together, and so that will be an important part of her remit.”

Outside of communications, Tony Burke continues to be the minister for cyber security, which he was appointed to in mid-2024. He also leads Home Affairs, immigration and citizenship, and the arts.

Andrew Charlton will also serve as assistant minister for science, technology and the digital economy.