Australia ousts Tories after nine years, Albanese to be PM – Reuters

SYDNEY, May 21 (Reuters) – Australia’s Labor Party was set to end nearly a decade of Conservative rule as the government was swept away in Saturday’s election by a wave of support for candidates who campaigned for more power. action against climate change and who could hold the balance of power.

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

The Greens and a group of so-called ‘teal independents’, who have campaigned on gender equality and climate change policies, have performed well, exploiting voter anger over inaction on the environment after some of the worst floods and fires to hit Australia. Read more

“Tonight I spoke to the Leader of the Opposition and the new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. And I congratulated him on his election victory tonight,” Morrison said.

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

“I think people want to come together, seek our common interest, look towards that sense of common purpose. I think people are tired of division, what they want is to come together as one nation and I intend to lead this.”

Albanese said he intended to be sworn in quickly so he could attend a meeting of the Quad security group in Tokyo on Tuesday. He promised constitutional recognition and parliamentary representation for Indigenous peoples, as well as the creation of an anti-corruption commission.

POSSIBLE MINORITY GOVERNMENT

In the results so far, Labor had yet to reach the 76 of the 151 lower house seats needed to form a government on its own. Final results could take time as the tally of a record number of mail-in votes is over.

With 60% of the votes counted, the Labor Party had 72 seats and Morrison’s coalition 55. The Independents and Greens held 11, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Another 13 seats remained uncertain.

The centre-left Labor party had held a decent lead in opinion polls ahead of the election, although polls showed the Liberal-National government had narrowed the gap in the home stretch of a six-year campaign weeks.

TURNING TEAL

In one of the government’s biggest wins, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said it would be “difficult” for him to hold the long-running Liberal Kooyong seat in Melbourne against an independent newcomer. Read more

Three volunteers working for the independent Teal Monique Ryan, which was challenging Frydenberg, said they joined Ryan’s campaign because they were concerned about the climate for the sake of their children and grandchildren.

“For me, it feels like this election is a beacon of hope,” Charlotte Forwood, a mother of three adult children, told Reuters.

As Morrison resigns as party leader and Frydenberg faces losing his seat, Defense Minister Peter Dutton – a former Queensland policeman – is emerging as the favorite to lead the Liberals.

Early feedback suggested the Greens had gained ground, looking to clinch up to three seats in Queensland.

Greens leader Adam Bandt, who retained his inner-city Melbourne seat, said the 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 tackling coal and gas.”

Morrison and Albanese voted earlier in Sydney after touring without warning through marginal seats in the final two days of a campaign dominated by rising living costs, climate change and integrity. Read more

As Labor focused on soaring inflation and slow wage growth, Morrison, a staunch supporter of Australia’s coal industry, made the country’s lowest unemployment rate in nearly half a year -century the centerpiece of the last hours of his campaign.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent his congratulations to Albanese.

“Our countries have 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.”

Reporting by Renju Jose, John Mair and Byron Kaye in Sydney and Sonali Paul in Melbourne Writing by Lincoln Feast Editing by Ros Russell, Timothy Heritage and Frances Kerry

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