Anthony Albanese defends appointing Victorian MP Tim Watts to new role of Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his decision to appoint a Victorian MP to the newly-created position of Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs.
Mr Albanese revealed on Monday that Tim Watts, the MP for Gellibrand which takes in parts of Melbourne's south-west including Altona and Point Cook, would take up the role.
The announcement came as Mr Watts was demoted from the position of assistant minister for foreign affairs, a role he had held since June 2022.
In an interview with 6PR Perth, Mr Albanese was quizzed on why he had not appointed a Western Australian as the envoy given "it's this side of the country Prime Minister?".
"Well, (Mr Watts) is very passionate, has built up really strong relationships, particularly with India and Sri Lanka and Indonesia in the region, as the assistant minister for foreign affairs," the Prime Minister told host Oliver Peterson on Wednesday afternoon.
"I wanted him to be able to continue that work."
Mr Watts said he was looking forward to "further building Australia's partnership with this important region in my new role".
"Australia has shared interests with the countries of the Indian Ocean, including India, in maintaining the peace, stability and prosperity of the Indian Ocean, in all countries growing their economies and deciding their own futures," he said in a post on LinkedIn.
"I have travelled extensively to the Indian Ocean region in recent years. I have attended two IORA Council of Ministers meetings, in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
"I also attended two Indian Ocean Conferences, in Bangladesh and in Perth. I have visited India on many occasions, including to open the Consulate-General in Kolkata.
"I will work with the countries of the Indian Ocean to increase our trade, investment, diplomatic and development ties, maintain the strategic balance of our region, and work on shared challenges including maritime and economic security, climate change and disaster resilience."
Mr Albanese instead appointed Matt Thistlethwaite, the MP for Kingsford Smith in Sydney's south-east, as assistant minister for foreign affairs and trade as part of the post-election ministry changes.
The Prime Minister said he had boosted the number of Western Australian MPs in cabinet, with Cowan MP Anne Aly promoted to Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs.
Ms Aly joins Minister for Resources and Northern Australia and Brand MP Madeleine King as the Western Australian representatives in cabinet.
Burt MP Matt Keogh sits in the outer ministry as Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel, while Perth MP Patrick Gorman is the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Assistant Minister for the Public Service, and Employment and Workplace Relations.
"I have doubled the number of people from WA in the cabinet with Anne Aly's very welcome elevation. And I've got now an ever increasing WA caucus," Mr Albanese said.
"I just held a press conference in beautiful Kings Park there, overlooking the Swan, and with Tom French, now the incoming Labor MP for Moore, and Trish Cook, who won the new seat at Bullwinkel.
"But also two new Labor Senators, Ellie Whiteaker, who ran the campaign here for Labor in WA and Deep Singh, an incoming Labor Senator, he's not quite across the line yet, but we're very hopeful that he will be elected as an additional Senator from WA.
"So, the WA contingent is getting stronger and stronger and therefore the representation's getting stronger and stronger as well."
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