Australia ousts the Conservatives after nine years, and Albany takes over as Prime Minister

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s Labor Party was set to end nearly a decade of Conservative rule after the government swept an election on Saturday with a wave of support for candidates who campaigned for more action on climate change and may have a balance. of strength.

Partial results showed that while Labor made small gains, Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s national liberal coalition was punished by Western Australian voters and wealthy urban seats in particular.

The Greens and a group of so-called “seasoned independents”, who campaigned for gender policies and tackling climate change, made a strong showing, tapping into voter anger over the lack of action on the environment after some of the worst floods and fires. Australia. Read more

“Tonight I spoke to the leader of the opposition and incoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. I congratulated him on his election victory this evening,” Morrison said.

Heading to his party’s celebrations, Albanese said he wanted to unite the country and “end the climate wars.”

“I think people want to come together, look for our common interest, and aspire to that sense of common purpose. I think people have enough of a divide, and what they want is to unite as a nation and I intend to lead that.”

Albanese said he aims to be sworn in quickly so he can attend the Quartet Security Group meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday. He promised constitutional recognition and parliamentary representation for indigenous peoples, as well as the creation of an anti-corruption commission.

Minority government possible

In results so far, Labor has yet to reach the 76 out of 151 seats in the House of Representatives needed to form a government on its own. Final results may take time as a record number of postal votes are counted.

With 60% of the votes counted, Labor won 72 seats and Morrison’s coalition 55. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation projected that the Independents and Greens would take 11 seats. Another 13 seats remained in doubt.

The center-left Labor Party had had a decent lead in opinion polls ahead of the election, although surveys showed the national liberal government was narrowing the gap in the final phase of a six-week campaign.

lily transforms

In one of the government’s biggest blows, Treasury Secretary Josh Frydenberg said it would be “difficult” for him to take the long-running Liberal seat of Koyung in Melbourne against an independent newcomer. Read more

Three volunteers working for the independent Monique Ryan, who has been challenging Frydenberg, said they joined Ryan’s campaign because they were concerned about the climate for their children and grandchildren.

“To me, it looks like this election is actually very hopeful,” Charlotte Forwood told Reuters with three adult children.

With Morrison stepping down as party leader and Frydenberg likely to lose his seat, Defense Secretary Peter Dutton – a former Queensland policeman – was shaping up as a candidate to lead the Liberals.

The early return suggests the Greens have had success, looking to pick up to three Queensland seats.

Green Party leader Adam Bandt, who retained his inner seat in Melbourne, said climate was a major issue for voters.

“There was an attempt by Labor and the Liberals to bury it, and we were very clear about the need to tackle the climate by treating coal and gas.”

Morrison and Albanese earlier cast their votes in Sydney after conducting whistle-blowing rides through marginal benches in the final two days of a campaign dominated by the rising cost of living, climate change and fairness. Read more

As Labor focused on rising inflation and slowing wage growth, Morrison, a staunch supporter of the Australian coal industry, made the country’s lowest unemployment rate in nearly half a century a cornerstone in the final hours of his campaign.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered his congratulations to the Albanians.

“Our country has a long history and a bright future together. As thriving, like-minded democracies, we work every day to make the world a better, safer, greener, and more prosperous place.”

Additional reporting by Ringo Jose, John Mayer and Byron Kay in Sydney and Sonali Paul in Melbourne.

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