I want to marry: gay ACT chief minister

Andrew Barr might be at the pinnacle of his professional life, but he can't do the one thing he wants in his personal life: get married.

The newly minted ACT chief minister is the nation's first openly gay leader.

In his acceptance speech to the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Mr Barr told his partner Anthony Toms simply, "I love you."

"I look forward to the day we can legally marry in this country," he said.

The couple committed to each other under the ACT's civil union laws in 2009, and the Labor leader has been a driving force behind his party's acceptance of same-sex marriage.

Mr Barr takes over as chief minister from Katy Gallagher, who resigned to fill a Senate seat.

He was deputy chief minister and treasurer from 2011, roles he says give him a particular focus on Canberra's economic needs.

Canberra could no longer rely on an underpinning of a strong national economy or a friendly federal government, Mr Barr said.

"Our city will confront the most testing external economic environment in 20 years - and in that environment we can only rely on ourselves," he said.

Mr Barr pledged to focus on jobs, education and health.

ACT Labor has started its preselection process for a senator to replace the retiring Kate Lundy.

If Ms Gallagher stands unopposed, she could be in federal parliament in early 2015.