‘Honour of my life’: Exuberant Anthony Albanese thanks Australia after historic win
Anthony Albanese says serving as Prime Minister is the greatest honour of his life after claiming an historic election victory on Saturday night.
“It is with a deep sense of humility and a profound sense of responsibility that the first thing that I do tonight is to say ‘thank you’ to the people of Australia for the chance to continue to serve the best nation on Earth,” Albanese told supporters at Labor headquarters in Sydney.
“Today, the Australian people have voted for Australian values: for fairness, aspiration and opportunity for all,” the Prime Minister said.
“Australians have voted for a future that holds true to these values, a future built on everything that brings us together,” he added.
Huge swings to the government across several states and many electorates in Liberal heartland will mean Labor governs in its own right with expanded numbers in Parliament.
Labor clawed back ground in Queensland, while the Liberals were wiped out in Tasmania.
With almost 70 per cent of the vote counted on Sunday morning, Labor had 85 seats to the Coalition’s 36, based on the ABC’s count.
The Greens looked at risk of losing their four existing seats, but perhaps picking up two elsewhere, with leader Adam Bandt’s own Melbourne electorate under a cloud.
Other political parties combined snared 10 seats, with all the so-called Teals being returned to parliament.
With the election win, Albanese is the first prime minister since John Howard to win back-to-back elections.
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Among the gains for Labor was Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s seat of Dickson in Queensland.
It’s the first time an opposition leader has lost their seat in a federal election, with Dutton losing to Labor’s Ali France.
The Opposition Leader lost his seat to Labor’s Ali France. Photo: AAP
A host of Dutton’s frontbench colleagues were also booted from parliament in a humbling night for the Liberals.
Conceding defeat, Dutton said the election was not the result the Coalition was hoping for and accepted full responsibility for the party’s loss.
“We didn’t do well enough during this campaign, that much is obvious tonight,” he told party supporters in Brisbane.
“I’ve always wanted in public life for the best for our country and the best for every Australian.
“It’s an historic occasion for the Labor Party, and we recognise that.”
Dutton also apologised to other Coalition members who lost their seat on election night.
“There are good members, good candidates, who have lost their seats or their ambition, and I’m sorry for that,” he said.
“We have an amazing party and we’ll rebuild.”
Albanese’s election landslide made headlines around the world, with major media companies like CNN noting the shadow that US President Donald Trump cast over the campaign.
The Australian outcome was just days after Canadians voted to return the country’s centre-left Liberal government that had originally been expected to lose until Trump got involved.
In a veiled reference to the Trump effect that dogged Dutton, Albanese said Australians had chosen “optimism and determination” in this time of global uncertainty.
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“Australians have chosen to face global challenges,” the prime minister said.
“Australians have voted for a future that holds true to these values, a future built on everything that brings us together.”
With half the vote counted, the Coalition had suffered a 2.4 per cent two-party preferred swing and Labor was projected to be returned to government with an increased majority.
It was a mistake for Dutton to say he would be happy to host a nuclear reactor in his electorate, Labor Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.
Speaking on ABC TV, Chalmers said France was a strong candidate, the Coalition lost the battle on health and cost of living policy “and Peter Dutton trailed away as the campaign rolled on”.
The Coalition was behind in more than a dozen seats it held and was not on track to win any seats from the government.
A lone bright spot for the Liberals was opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan, who looked to have seen off a challenge from independent Alex Dyson in his regional Victorian seat of Wannon, with a swing towards him of 0.3 per cent.
The Liberals were set for a wipeout in Tasmania with the loss of Bass and Braddon, and faced defeat in their last seat in metropolitan Adelaide, with Sturt MP James Stevens suffering an 8.1 per cent swing against him.
But at the ALP HQ, disbelief and elation rippled through a sea of red as Labor supporters welcomed their Prime Minister after an emphatic election win.
An uproarious ovation shook Sydney’s inner-west when Albanese took to the stage for his victory speech.
Supporters at Labor HQ were ecstatic. Photo: AAP
“This is a time of profound opportunity for our nation,” he said.
“We have everything we need to seize this opportunity and make it our own.”
Tears burst from the party faithful when, barely two hours into the East Coast vote count, the election was called for Labor.
Most supporters could not believe their eyes with shouts of “this is crazy” and “this is wild” spreading through the crowd at the Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer congratulated Albanese on his election victory.
Rubio said the United States looked forward to deepening the bilateral relationship.
“The United States looks forward to deepening its relationship with Australia to advance our common interests and promote freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally,” Rubio said in a statement.
