Anthony Norman Albanese was born on March 2, 1963, in Sydney, Australia, to a single mother of Irish descent. Raised in public housing in the inner-Sydney suburb of Marrickville, he became the first person in his family to attend university, graduating from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Diploma in Economics in 1984. Before entering politics, Albanese worked as a research officer for the Labor Party and later as an assistant to then-Deputy Prime Minister Tom Uren. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1996, representing the seat of Grayndler in Sydney's inner west, which he has held continuously since.
Throughout his parliamentary career, Albanese held numerous senior positions within the Australian Labor Party and government. He served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport under Prime Minister Julia Gillard from 2010 to 2013, where he oversaw significant infrastructure investments including the National Broadband Network rollout. Following Labor's defeat in 2013, he was elected as Deputy Leader of the Opposition and later became Leader of the Opposition in May 2019 after Bill Shorten's resignation. Albanese led the Labor Party to victory in the May 2022 federal election, becoming Australia's 31st Prime Minister on May 23, 2022.
As Prime Minister, Albanese has prioritized climate action, establishing a target of 43% emissions reduction by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, while also focusing on strengthening Australia's relationships in the Indo-Pacific region. His government has implemented policies including the establishment of a National Anti-Corruption Commission, increases to minimum wage and aged care worker pay, and expanded access to childcare. Albanese has maintained Australia's AUKUS security partnership while working to repair diplomatic relationships with China and strengthen ties with Pacific Island nations. His leadership style has been characterized as more consultative and less combative than some of his predecessors, reflecting his background as a pragmatic negotiator within the Labor Party's left faction.