Labor returned to power after nine yearsin opposition as a wave of unprecedented support for the Greens andclimate-focussed independents, mostly women, helped unseat the conservativecoalition in Saturday"s general election.
"I look forward to leading a governmentthat makes Australians proud, a government that doesn"t seek to divide, thatdoesn"t seek to have wedges but seeks to bring people together," Albanesesaid during his first media briefing after taking charge as the prime minister.
Although votes are still being countedand the makeup of government has yet to be finalised, Albanese was sworn in byGovernor-General David Hurley at a ceremony in the national capital, Canberraso he could attend a meeting of the "Quad" security grouping in Tokyoon Tuesday.
India, the United States, Japan andAustralia are members of the Quad, an informal group that Washington has beenpromoting to work as a potential bulwark against China"s increasing political,commercial and military activity in the Indo-Pacific.
Albanese said the country"s relationshipwith China would remain "a difficult one" ahead of the summit withU.S. President Joe Biden and the prime ministers of Japan and India.
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles andthree key ministers - Penny Wong in foreign affairs, Jim Chalmers as treasurerand Katy Gallagher in finance - were also sworn in, with Wong to join Albaneseon the Quad trip.
WORKING CLASS CARD
Labor"s campaign heavily spotlightedAlbanese"s working-class credentials - a boy raised in public housing by asingle mother on a disability pension - and his image as a pragmatic unifier.
Centre-left Labor is leading in 76 seatsin the 151 seat lower house, with a few races too close to call, according tothe Australian Electoral Commission. Independents or Green party looked set towin more than a dozen seats as counting of postal votes continued.
So-called "teal independents"campaigning in affluent, Liberal-held seats on a platform of climate, integrityand equality, could yet hold significant sway.
Independent Monique Ryan said climatewas the most important issue to constituents in her seatof Kooyong inMelbourne, which outgoing Treasurer Josh Frydenberg formally conceded onMonday.
"We listened to what people wanted,we listened to their values and their desires, and we put together a platformthat reflected those," Ryan said.
Albanese said he hoped Labor would getenough seats to govern on their own but added he had struck agreements withsome independents that they not support no-confidence motions against hisgovernment.
After his return from Japan, Albanesesaid, he would act swiftly to implement his election promises, includingsetting up a national anti-corruption commission and a A$15 billion ($10.6billion) manufacturing fund to diversify Australia"s economy.
The swearing-in of the full ministrywill happen on June 1, he said.
Australian financial markets offered amuted reaction to the election verdict on Monday, with the outcome alreadypriced in and no radical change in economic course expected.
"Our economic forecasts and call onthe (Reserve Bank of Australia) are unchanged despite the change of nationalleadership," economists at Commonwealth Bank of Australia said.
