7 hours ago
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
Tom McIlroy
Liberal moderate and re-elected NSW senator Andrew Bragg says his heart goes out to unsuccessful party colleagues, after last night’s electoral drubbing.
Writing on social media, the shadow assistant minister for home ownership offered thanks to outgoing opposition leader Peter Dutton. He said Australia was “drifting” under Labor and needed better leadership.
It was the toughest night for the Liberals ever.
The message from the electorate is clear. For the Liberal party, the road back starts with a deeper understanding of modern Australia.
We must offer an ambitious economic agenda and a centrist, inclusive social vision. Reclaiming enterprise and the centre is not a departure from our values – it is a return to them.
Greens on track to lose several MPs as independents hold off challenges and gain votes in federal election
Voters have dealt a significant blow to the Greens, with the minor party on track to lose several MPs – including potentially its party leader, Adam Bandt – and fall short in other electorates that it had hoped to win from Labor, while several teal independents retained their seats with improved margins and others are on track to win seats previously held by the Coalition.
At the Greens’ election night function in Melbourne, the party faithful had largely tuned out of the election results broadcast, as early results predicted Max Chandler-Mather and Stephen Bates would lose their respective seats of Griffith and Brisbane to Labor.
And in the Brisbane seat of Ryan, the future of Elizabeth Watson-Brown – who, with Chandler-Mather and Bates, won their seats for the Greens for the first time at the 2022 election – was unclear, with early results on a knife-edge.
While Watson-Brown was leading the Liberal candidate on a two-candidate count, with about 50% of the votes counted, preference flows would be key to determining the outcome.
In Melbourne – the seat held by Bandt since 2010 – early results indicated a tight race.
There was little separating Bandt from Labor’s Sarah Witty, with just under 60% of the vote counted. Projections indicated he was at risk of losing the seat depending on preference flows.
For more on this report, read the full story by Guardian Australia’s Elias Visontay:
An association representing landlords in Victoria is celebrating the loss of Max Chandler-Mather’s Brisbane seat.
In a series of posts to social media, Victorian Landlords highlighted Chandler-Mather’s advocacy for policies in support of renters, particularly calls for a “rent freeze”, saying it failed to find electoral support.
Good luck next time!
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Albanese ran a ‘flawless campaign’, trade minister says
The trade minister, Don Farrell, is up next on Sky.
Farrell reveals he “said a little prayer” for Albanese while he was in the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis.
There’s only one person that we can congratulate for [the result] – and that’s prime minister Anthony Albanese. He’s run a flawless campaign, a very disciplined campaign.
Farrell said even Labor’s internal polling didn’t point to such an emphatic win.
I think when those people looked at the two options, prime minister Albanese and Mr Dutton, they saw that the prime minister had a vision for this country.
He was looking forward, whereas the Liberals were looking backwards. And I think people have accepted that we need to look forward.
Farrell is asked if a trip to Washington – and a potential face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump – would be a priority for the reelected prime minister.
It would be entirely up to the prime minister. I don’t set his travel schedule, and that would be a matter for him.
CPA Australia urges Albanese to create ‘more business-friendly environment’
CPA Australia, the industry body representing accountants, is out early in the wake of the election result calling for the re-elected Albanese government to double down on trying to improve “business productivity”.
CPA Australia CEO Chris Freeland said he looked forward to a “clear and optimistic visions” from the government to “promote growth through reduced regulatory pressure”.
Freeland wanted the government to consult more closely with business to remove “regulatory burdens”, reduce bracket creep and Australia’s “dependence” on personal income tax, and greater austerity to “bring the deficit under greater control”.
The accounting profession has a unique insight into the practical challenges created by our government policy, including our tax regime and a culture of red tape. We look forward to working with the government to create a more business-friendly environment that delivers economic prosperity and benefits to Australia.
We encourage the Albanese government to commit to long-term plans that look beyond the next three years and deliver improvements to the lives of Australians – not just today but long into the future.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Littleproud on Labor: ‘They’re a slick machine’
Finally, David Littleproud is asked about what impact Donald Trump had on the outcome after Labor sought to tie Peter Dutton to the US president throughout the campaign.
What Anthony Albanese and the Labor team were able to was to really tap into these sorts of issues and then paint a bigger picture and destroy his character.
I think there’s a lesson in how they (Labor) did politics. They did it a lot better than us, and you’ve got to acknowledge that they’re a slick machine.
‘Donald Trump does not have a role in relation to Australian domestic politics’
Still speaking to the ABC, former NSW Liberal MP Michael Yabsley addresses the Trump-shaped elephant in the room, saying the politics represented by the US president has no place in Australia.
I think it’s part of the contagion of the way in which American politics has infused its way in to Australian politics, but very few people would have seen this coming and would have seen it coming certainly to the extent that it has happened.
My own view is that it’s an awful influence on Australian politics and something that we would do well to repudiate. Notwithstanding, you know the strength and the warmth and the importance of the relationship with the United States, in my opinion, Donald Trump does not have a role in relation to Australian domestic politics and we would do well to make that clear.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Littleproud says working from home policy ‘not handled well’
Littleproud is asked about the impact of the Coalition’s bungled work-from-home proposal, which was ultimately reversed due to its unpopularity.
I think we’ve got to be honest – that wasn’t handled well. But I mean, Peter had the courage to say that he got it wrong.
The s leader is pressed on whether the proposal went to shadow cabinet for endorsement before it was announced (there have been suggestions it wasn’t).
After a back-and-forth with host Andrew Clennell, Littleproud said it was “talked about broadly” internally.
'I don’t think nuclear was the reason we lost': s leader
Dan Jervis-Bardy
The fallout to Labor’s thumping election win is underway as politicians on all sides begin picking apart the extraordinary result.
The ABC has Labor on 85 seats, a clear majority, with the Coalition on 36.
These numbers will bounce around a bit as the 19 seats currently “in doubt” are called for the various parties and independents.
The s leader, David Littleproud, is up now dissecting the result on Sky News.
Littleproud said Labor ran such a fierce personal campaign that made Dutton effectively “unelectable”.
Dutton lost his seat of Dickson on Saturday night, ending his 24-year career in federal parliament.
Our parliament is going to be poorer for it (Dutton losing).
Littleproud is asked whether the defeat spells the end for the Coalition’s push to build nuclear reactors in Australia.
We’re going to work through all of those (things). I don’t think nuclear was the reason we lost. I think this was a smick campaign by Labor destroying Peter Dutton.
Liberal party must face up to ‘home truths’, former NSW Liberal MP says
The Liberal party must go through “some soul searching” but “can’t just pay lip service to the soul searching”, a former New South Wales Liberal party figure says.
Speaking to the ABC on Sunday morning, former NSW Liberal politician Michael Yabsley said the federal Coalition had been underperforming “over a long period of time” and that there are “home truths” the party had to face up to.
I actually think it has got more to do with the Liberal party machine which I contend is no longer a machine and has not been a machine for a long time.
Elaborating on this, Yabsley added:
So a Liberal party machine or a party machine if it is operating properly needs to be able to recruit members, it needs to be able to fundraise, needs to be able to develop policy, and it needs to be able to conduct pre-selections of candidates who stand the best chance of winning.
They are what I would describe as the Liberal party’s KPIs and those KPIs - the truth is, the inescapable truth is that they have been miserably failed over a long period of time and they’re the home truths that need to be faced up to.
Analysis: Albanese’s experience showed but a terrible Trump-inspired Coalition campaign helped
Just as Australians were returning from the calm of summer holidays, Labor and the Coalition both held their breath as Donald Trump took the presidential oath of office in Washington.
With a federal election year under way and the Albanese government desperate to restart Labor’s flagging political prospects, Trump’s victory had emboldened conservatives in the Coalition and rightwing minor parties. Along with sections of the Australia media, they pushed for a version of Trump’s unapologetic politics here.
Sensing a shift to the right across the electorate, Peter Dutton and the Coalition finalised policies to slash the federal public service and root out “woke” ideology in schools and social policy. They fine-tuned messages about the Indigenous welcome to country and accused Labor of dangerous overreach in the transition to renewable energy.
But, despite predictions of an inevitable slide into minority for Labor, Anthony Albanese’s remarkable election victory showed voters aren’t interested in appeals to the fringes. Instead, Australians were eager to reward a focus on the mainstream.
Read Tom McIlroy’s full analysis on last night’s election:
Election live results
If you are waking on Sunday morning and looking to get a sense for the current political landscape, Guardian Australia has been tracking the count.
Check it out below.
This morning’s lineup on ABC’s Insiders
The ABC’s Insiders has a full listing this morning with treasurer Jim Chalmers, the Coalition’s Keith Wolahan and Independent MP Zali Steggall speaking to host David Speers to dissect the Coalition’s wipeout.
It is worth noting that the AEC currently has Wolahan losing his seat of Menzies to Labor challenger Gabriel Ng.
World leaders congratulate Albanese on election win
World leaders have sent prime minister Anthony Albanese messages of congratulations after Labor’s re-election.
Among the well-wishers was Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“I wish you continued success in serving the people of Australia and delivering meaningful achievements,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
“Ukraine sincerely values Australia’s unwavering support and its principled stance on ending Russia’s war and securing a dignified and lasting peace.”
Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto expressed his “heartfelt congratulations”.
“His renewed mandate reflects the trust and confidence of the Australian people in his vision for the country’s future,” Subianto said on X.
European Union president Ursula von der Leyen sent Albanese good wishes.
“Europeans and Australians are not just friends – we’re mates,” she wrote on X.
“Let us seize this moment of stability to deepen our cooperation.”
Former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi said he was glad his friend retained the top job.
“After Canada and Australia, Trump’s embrace is confirmed as the kiss of death,” he said on X.
Albanese also received greetings from US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
“The United States looks forward to deepening its relationship with Australia to advance our common interests and promote freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally,” Rubio said.
British prime minister Keir Starmer also weighed in on the election victory.
“The UK and Australia are as close as ever,” he said on X.
“Congratulations, @AlboMP on your election win.”
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi praised Albanese’s “resounding victory”.
“This emphatic mandate indicates the enduring faith of the Australian people in your leadership,” he said.
French president Emmanuel Macron posted a picture of the pair on social media, in his congratulatory message.
“In the face of global challenges, Australia and France have so much to achieve together — especially in the Indo-Pacific,” Macron said.
“Let us continue to write, with ambition and friendship, the new chapter of our partnership.”
Good morning
Good morning and welcome to today’s live blog, the day after Anthony Albanese led Labor to a thumping victory, returning to power with an increased majority.
As of 10.30pm last night, the ABC had Labor on 87 seats – an increase of nine – while the Coalition were on 39 seats, a massive 18-seat collapse.
Among the many losses for the Coalition was Peter Dutton’s own seat of Dickson, leaving the Liberals in shock and without a leader.
The party failed to win back the teal seats of Kooyong, Goldstein, Wentworth, Curtin and Mackellar and trail another Climate 200-backed independent Nicolette Boele in Bradfield.
Fellow Climate 200-backed independent Jessie Price is also ahead in the Labor-held seat of Bean in Canberra.
The Greens also had a bad night, with housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather and Brisbane MP Stephen Bates on track for defeat and the party behind in its target seat of Wills in Melbourne’s inner north.
Stay with us today as we follow all the latest news and fallout from an historic night.
