Anthony Albanese celebrated his victory on Saturday, becoming the first Australian prime minister in 21 years to secure a second consecutive term. He suggested his government’s success in increasing its majority was due to not imitating the U.S. administration.
“Australians have chosen to confront global challenges, care for one another, and build for the future,” Albanese told supporters during his victory speech in Sydney.
“We don’t need to imitate or rely on other countries. Our inspiration comes from our own values and people,” he added.
Albanese’s center-left Labor Party had labeled opposition leader Peter Dutton, of the conservative Liberal Party, “DOGE-y Dutton,” accusing him of mirroring Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency.
Dutton had earlier conceded defeat in the election for his coalition of conservative parties and acknowledged losing the parliamentary seat he had held for 24 years.
Dutton’s situation is similar to that of Canada’s opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre, who also lost his seat after Trump initiated an economic conflict with Canada. Poilievre was previously expected to become Canada’s next prime minister, leading his Conservative Party back into power after a decade.
Analysts suggest that associating with Trump became a political liability for Australian conservatives after he imposed global tariffs.
The Trumpet of Patriots, a minor party inspired by Trump’s policies and funded by mining magnate Clive Palmer, received only 2% of the vote, despite having a larger advertising budget than the major parties.
Zareh Ghazarian, a politics lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne, questioned the significance of the “DOGE-y Dutton” label in the election results.
“It’s uncertain how much impact it had,” Ghazarian said. “This is a significant win for Labor and a major rejection of the Liberal Party.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Albanese on winning a second three-year term.
“Australia is a valued ally, partner, and friend of the United States. Our shared values and democratic traditions form the basis of a strong alliance and deep ties between our peoples,” Rubio stated.
“The United States is eager to strengthen its relationship with Australia to advance our mutual interests and promote freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and worldwide,” he added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, also a center-left leader, congratulated Albanese on his victory.
“The U.K. and Australia are closer than ever, proving that long-distance friendships can be the strongest,” Starmer said. “I am confident that we will continue to collaborate on our shared goals, including trade, investment, and energy, to improve the lives of working people in both the U.K. and Australia.”
Labor held a slim majority of 78 seats in the 151-seat House of Representatives, where governments are formed.
Australian governments are typically elected for a second term, but are usually expected to lose seats. However, Labor is on track to increase its majority.
Energy policy and inflation were key issues in the campaign, with both parties acknowledging a cost-of-living crisis.
The Liberal Party blamed government spending for fueling inflation and raising interest rates, promising to cut over 20% of public service jobs to reduce spending.
While both parties agreed on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, Dutton argued that nuclear power, instead of renewable sources like solar and wind, would provide cheaper electricity.
Labor contended that Dutton’s government would cut services to fund its plan to build seven government-funded nuclear generators. Australia currently has no nuclear power plants.
Opposition senator Jacinta Nampijnpa Price would have been responsible for cutting 41,000 public service jobs in a Dutton government. She drew media attention last month when she told supporters her government would “make Australia great again.”
Price told reporters she did not recall using the phrase, which is reminiscent of the Republican “Make America Great Again” slogan.
Price, who said she was photographed wearing a MAGA cap “jokingly at Christmas,” blamed the news media for focusing on Trump during the election campaign.
“You made it all about Donald Trump,” Price told Australian Broadcasting Corp. “We were not concerned with how Donald Trump is governing America. Our concern was with how Australia is being governed under an Albanese government.”
The election occurred against a backdrop of what both political sides describe as a cost-of-living crisis.
Foodbank Australia, the country’s largest food relief charity, reported that 3.4 million households in the nation of 27 million people experienced food insecurity last year, meaning Australians were skipping meals, eating less, or worrying about running out of food before they could afford more.
The central bank reduced its benchmark cash interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point in February to 4.1%, suggesting the worst of the financial hardship had passed. The rate is widely expected to be cut again at the bank’s next board meeting on May 20, this time to encourage investment amid international economic uncertainty caused by Trump’s tariff policies.
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