SYDNEY: The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) has congratulated the recently elected Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Peter Dutton MP on behalf of the 50,000 strong Armenian-Australian community.

This follows similar congratulations sent to Australia’s 31st Prime Minister, the Hon. Anthony Albanese MP after the results of the 2022 Federal Elections were finalised.

The Federal Member for Dickson in Queensland, Dutton was first elected to the Australian House of Representatives in 2001 and has ascended unopposed to the head of the Federal parliamentary Liberal Party, and therefore Leader of the Opposition in the 47th Parliament, following the resignation from the post of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Dutton has named the Hon. Sussan Ley MP as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, while also naming noted supporters of Armenian-Australian issues as members of his shadow cabinet, who have also been congratulated by the ANC-AU, including:

• The Hon. Paul Fletcher (Member for Bradfield) as Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy, Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts, and Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives;
  
  

• The Hon. Julian Leeser (Member for Berowra) as Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians and Shadow Attorney-General;
  
  

• The Hon. Michael Sukkar (Member for Deakin) as Shadow Minister for Social Services, Shadow Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Shadow Minister for Housing, and Shadow Minister for Homelessness;
  
  

• The Hon. Hollie Hughes (Senator for New South Wales) as Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy; and
  
  

• The Hon. Marise Payne (Senator for New South Wales) as Shadow Cabinet Secretary.

In their correspondence to the newly elected Leader of the Opposition, the ANC-AU noted the “encouraging advances” made by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison towards accurate recognition of the Armenian Genocide during his tenure, and said they “look forward to working together to ensure Australia becomes the next nation to accurately recognise the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides of 1915”.

ANC-AU Executive Director Michael Kolokossian said: "We congratulate Mr. Dutton on his ascension to the role as Leader of the Opposition. The Armenian National Committee of Australia looks forward to working together with the Government and the Opposition in continuing to advance issues of importance to Armenian-Australians in the Federal Parliament."