Anthony Albanese gives first press conference after winning historic second term

Anthony Albanese has confirmed that he’s spoken to US President Donald Trump, and described the conversation as “very warm”.

Anthony Albanese has confirmed he’s spoken to US President Donald Trump in his first press conference following Labor’s emphatic election win.

The Prime Minister described the chat, which occurred at The Lodge shortly before the press conference, as “warm” and “generous,” and thanked Mr Trump for reaching out.

He said they spoke about AUKUS and tariffs, and said the pair would continue to engage, hinting at a “face-to-face” meeting at “some time in the future”.

“It was a very warm discussion about the friendship between our two nations that’s so important,” he told reporters from Parliament House on Monday.

“I won’t go into all of the personal comments that he made but it was very generous in his personal warmth and praise towards myself. He was fully aware of the outcome and he expressed the desire to continue to work with me in the future.”

Anthony Albanese has confirmed that he has spoken to US President Donald Trump. Picture: NewsWire/ Jim WATSON/ POOL/ AFP

Although he said he had accepted an invitation from the newly elected Canadian prime minister Mark Carney to attend the G7 Summit in June, he declined to say whether he would visit Mr Trump any sooner.

“We’ll wait and see. We’ll make appropriate announcements. My first international visit will be just like last time … to Indonesia,” he said.

“That was something that President Prabowo and I had discussed before. It’s something I intend to do.

“Our region is so important. The relationships that we have built are so important.”

Mr Albanese added that he had spoken to a number of world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as past leaders like former UK prime minister Tony Blair, former New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern and former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Trump delivered a brutal blow to ousted opposition leader Peter Dutton, admitting he had “no idea who the other person is that ran against him”.

However he heaped praise on to Mr Albanese.

“I don’t know anything about the election other than the man that won, he’s very good,” he said.

“I can only say that he’s been very, very nice to me, very respectful to me.”

Mr Albanese said he has also been congratulated by a number of world leaders. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Cabinet mum on cabinet reshuffle

While he declined to give further details of a front bench reshuffle, he said his initial focus focusing his re-election would on receiving critical briefings from prime minister and cabinet.

Speaking on the future of his front bench were a matter for himself and the caucus, and berating a reporter for questioning whether Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek would be given the portfolio for the NDIS.

“That’s just nonsense, as you were told yesterday … People have got to stop,” he said.

“The only person who knows is me. You were told by my office yesterday that was nonsense.”

Speaking about his policy objectives, Mr Albanese said the first item on the parliamentary agenda would be the “20 per cent cut on student debt,” which he had promised during the campaign.

Asked whether Labor’s emphatic win gave the government a mandate to be more ambitious, Mr Albanese said he was “not getting ahead of ourselves”.

“The thing I reject is we haven’t been ambitious,” he said.

“Look at our agenda on the clean energy economy, on child care, on gender equality, on education, where we went beyond where we said we would.

“I didn’t promise to deliver surpluses, we delivered two. We won’t get carried away and we’ll continue to engage.”

Mr Albanese spoke to reporters after returning to Canberra on Monday. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Mr Albanese also promised to “be a prime minister for all Australians” regardless of their political opinions, and said they were “deeply humbled” by Saturday’s landslide victory.

“I sought from that first day, indeed, I became Labor leader, back in 2019, I want Labor to be the natural party of government,” he said.

“I think given who we are, representing working people, but also effectively engaging with business and engaging with civil society, that we can make what is the best country on earth even better in the future.”

Originally published as Anthony Albanese gives first press conference after winning historic second term