Left-leaning PM triumphs in Australian election

Left-leaning PM triumphs in Australian election

Polls have suggested 10 or more unaligned crossbenchers could hold the balance of power

Australia's left-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese triumphed Saturday in national elections, crushing his conservative rival in a contest swayed by economic upheaval and Donald Trump. 

Albanese's slow-but-steady leadership resonated at a time of global tumult, analysts said, with voters deserting hard-nosed opposition leader Peter Dutton in droves.

Not only was Albanese's Labor Party on track for an unexpectedly large parliamentary majority, but former police officer Dutton endured the rare humiliation of losing his seat. 

Projections by national broadcaster ABC pointed to a landslide, with Labor taking 85 seats so far in the 150-member parliament. Dutton's coalition had 41, other parties nine, and another 15 were in doubt.

"Today the Australian people have voted for Australian values. For fairness, aspiration and opportunity for all," Labor leader Albanese told a raucous crowd in his victory speech.

"In this time of global uncertainty, Australians have chosen optimism and determination," he added.

Elated Labor supporters swigged craft beers emblazoned with Albanese's face at an election party in Sydney, chanting his "Albo" nickname as results were declared on TV. 

Albanese has promised to embrace renewable energy, tackle a worsening housing crisis, and pour money into a creaking healthcare system.  

Dutton wanted to slash immigration, crack down on crime and ditch a longstanding ban on nuclear power.

US President Trump cast a long shadow over the six-week election campaign, sparking keen global interest in whether his tariff-induced economic chaos would influence the result.

Congratulations for Albanese came from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called Australia a "valued ally, partner, and friend of the United States".

Sydney politics lecturer Henry Maher told AFP that "in times of instability, we expect people to go back to a kind of steady incumbent".

Dutton's policy to slash the public service rankled many as similar cuts, led by Elon Musk, brought chaos in the United States. 

His flagship proposal to dot the country with nuclear reactors was also widely seen as a liability.

"Our government will choose the Australian way," Albanese said on Saturday night. 

"We do not need to beg, or borrow, or copy from anywhere else. We do not seek our inspiration from overseas."

- 'Mad as a cut snake' -

Hungry voters munched on barbecued "democracy sausages" after casting their ballot -- a polling day rite of passage -- while others in bright swimwear crammed into voting booths after taking an early morning plunge.

Before the first vote was even counted, speculation was already mounting over whether Dutton could survive an election loss.

"We didn't do well enough during this campaign. That much is obvious tonight and I accept full responsibility," Dutton told supporters in a concession speech.

Some pre-vote polls showed Dutton leaking support because of Trump, who he praised this year as a "big thinker" with "gravitas" on the global stage. 

"I mean, Donald Trump is as mad as a cut snake, and we all know that," said voter Alan Whitman, 59, before casting his ballot on Saturday. 

"And we've got to tiptoe around that."

Voting is compulsory, enforced with fines of Aus$20 (US$13), leading to turnouts that top 90 percent.

- High prices -

As Australians soured on Trump, both Dutton and Albanese took on a more pugnacious tone. 

"If I needed to have a fight with Donald Trump or any other world leader, to advance our nation's interest, I'd do it in a heartbeat," Dutton said in April. 

Albanese condemned Trump's tariffs as an act of "economic self-harm" and "not the act of a friend".

Economic concerns have dominated the contest for the many Australian households struggling to pay inflated prices for milk, bread, power and petrol. 

"The cost of living -- it's extremely high at the moment. So, taxes as well, is also another really big thing. Petrol prices, all the basic stuff," human resources manager Robyn Knox told AFP in Brisbane.

- Campaign stumbles -

Albanese's government has embraced the global push towards decarbonisation, warning of a future in which iron ore and polluting coal exports no longer prop up the economy.

The 36-day campaign was a largely staid affair but there were a few moments of unscripted levity.

Albanese tumbled backwards off the stage at a heaving campaign rally, while Dutton drew blood when he hit an unsuspecting cameraman in the head with a stray football.

Rubio said that Washington "looks forward to deepening its relationship with Australia to advance our common interests and promote freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally."

This was echoed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and by India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said he was keen to "advance our shared vision for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv "sincerely values Australia's unwavering support and its principled stance on ending Russia's war".

sft/djw/dhc/stu

Originally published as Left-leaning PM triumphs in Australian election