Peter Dutton, Adam Bandt oustings beat Labor’s ‘most optimistic expectations’, Jim Chalmers says

With two party leaders ousted and the Coalition collapsed, Jim Chalmers has boasted about the federal election results.

With two party leaders ousted and a collapsed Coalition, Jim Chalmers says the federal election results beat Labor’s “most optimistic expectations”.

On Wednesday morning, Labor was safely on track to win 93 lower house seats, with the Liberals – now the official opposition after the Nationals split from the Coalition – miles behind with 28.

Meanwhile, the Nationals held 15 seats and the Greens were reduced from four seats to just one.

Ousted opposition leader Peter Dutton and former Greens leader Adam Bandt – two enormous thorns in the Albanese government’s side during its first term – were both swept up in Labor’s red wave.

The Treasurer on Wednesday boasted that while Labor did not expect the results, it was “confident” it would do well.

“I think it’s fair to say that the outcome in the election exceeded even our most optimistic expectations,” Mr Chalmers told the ABC.

“But we were confident, in the context of all of this global economic uncertainty, that Australians would go for the stable, methodical, considered, responsible economic leadership of the Prime Minister and his Labor government.

“When it comes to the Coalition, obviously what we’re seeing in the former Coalition parties is a mess, but it’s not our focus.

“We’re focused on providing that responsible economic management, which has seen inflation come down, wages go up, unemployment stay low, and now two interest rate cuts in the space of three months.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the federal election results ‘exceeded’ Labor’s ‘most optimistic expectations’. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

He denied that the Albanese government’s only threat now was hubris and overconfidence, saying there was “no sign of that”.

“We are very grateful for the support that was shown us in the last election,” Mr Chalmers said.

“We approach the coming term with humility. We’ve got some big challenges to address together with Australians, building more homes and rolling out more renewables, making our economy more productive, finishing the fight against inflation, getting wages growing again, helping people with the cost of living.

“This is the focus of this Labor government.”

More to come

Originally published as Peter Dutton, Adam Bandt oustings beat Labor’s ‘most optimistic expectations’, Jim Chalmers says