Australia's new centre-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took office Monday a few hours before flying out to attend an international summit in Tokyo.

Albanese, who says Australia is willing to engage with the world on climate change, will join a summit Tuesday with the US, Japanese and Indian leaders, known as the Quad.

The 59-year-old new prime minister was sworn in at a brief ceremony in Government House, Canberra.

Other members of his team to take office included Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who will join Albanese at the Quad summit, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher.

AFP