Australia’s centre-left Labour party has toppled the conservative government after almost a decade in power.
In his election victory speech, prime minister-elect Anthony Albanese promised sharper reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, while he also faces an early foreign policy test.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he had quickly conceded defeat despite millions of votes yet to be counted because an Australian leader must attend a Tokyo summit on Tuesday with US president Joe Biden, Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.
Albanese, who has described himself as the only candidate with a “non-Anglo/Celtic name” to run for prime minister in the 121 years that the office has existed, referred to his own humble upbringing in the Sydney suburb of Camperdown.
“It says a lot about our great country that a son of a single mom who was a disability pensioner, who grew up in public housing down the road in Camperdown, can stand before you tonight as Australia’s prime minister,” Albanese said.
He added: “Every parent wants more for the next generation than they had. My mother dreamt of a better life for me.
“And I hope that my journey in life inspires Australians to reach for the stars.”
Albanese will be sworn in as prime minister after his Labour party clenched its first electoral win since 2007.
Labour has promised more financial assistance and a robust social safety net as Australia grapples with the highest inflation since 2001 and soaring housing prices.
The party also plans to increase minimum wages, while on the foreign policy front it has proposed to establish a Pacific defence school to train neighbouring armies in response to China’s potential military presence on the Solomon Islands, on Australia’s doorstep.
It also wants to tackle climate change with a more ambitious 43% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.
Morrison’s Liberal party-led coalition was seeking a fourth three-year term.
It held the narrowest of majorities – 76 seats in the 151-member House of Representatives, where parties need a majority to form a government.
In early counting on Saturday, the coalition was on track to win 51 seats, with Labour on 72. 10 went to independents and 18 were too close to call.
The major parties bled votes to fringe parties and Independents, which increases the likelihood of a hung parliament and a minority government.
Australia’s most recent hung parliaments were from 2010-13, and during the Second World War.
The Australian Greens appear to have increased their representation from a single seat to three.
The Greens supported a Labour minority government in 2010, and will likely support a Labour administration again if the party falls short of a 76-seat majority.
As well as campaigning against Labour, Morrison’s conservative Liberals fought off a new challenge from so-called teal independent candidates to key government legislators’ re-election in party strongholds.
At least four Liberals appeared to have lost their seats to teal independents, including Liberal Party deputy leader Josh Frydenberg, who had been considered Morrison’s most likely successor.
“What we have achieved here is extraordinary,” teal candidate and former foreign correspondent Zoe Daniels said in her victory speech.
“Safe Liberal seat. Two-term incumbent. Independent,” she added.
The teal independents are marketed as a greener shade than the Liberal Party’s traditional blue colour and want stronger government action on reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions than either the government or Labour are proposing.
The government’s senate leader Simon Birmingham was concerned by big swings toward several teal candidates.
“It is a clear problem that we are losing seats that are heartland seats, that have defined the Liberal Party for generations,” Birmingham said.
“If we lose those seats – it is not certain that we will – but there is clearly a big movement against us and there is clearly a big message in it,” Birmingham added.
Due to the pandemic, around half of Australia’s 17 million electors have voted early or applied for postal votes, which will likely slow the count.
Early polling for reasons of travel or work began two weeks ago, and the Australian Electoral Commission will continue collecting postal votes for another two weeks.
