Fajarasia.co – Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceded defeat in a national election on Saturday (May 21) after a “difficult night” for his conservative government.
“Tonight, I have spoken to the leader of the opposition and the incoming prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and I have congratulated him on his election victory,” Mr Morrison said at a televised speech in Sydney.
He added that he would stand down as leader of the Liberal party.
Mr Morrison’s capitulation ends eight years and nine months in power for his conservative coalition. He became prime minister in 2018 after several leadership changes.
Partial results showed Mr Morrison’s Liberal-National coalition had been punished by voters in Western Australia and affluent urban seats in particular.
Mr Albanese, speaking as he headed to his party celebrations, said he wanted to unite the country.
“I think people want to come together, look for our common interest, look towards that sense of common purpose. I think people have had enough of division, what they want is to come together as a nation and I intend to lead that.”
In results so far, Labor had yet to reach the 76 of the 151 lower house seats required to form a government alone. Final results could take time as counting of a record number of postal votes is completed.
With 55 per cent of the vote counted, Labor had 72 seats and Mr Morrison’s coalition 52. Independents and the Greens held 11, the Australian Broadcasting Corp projected. A further 16 seats remained in doubt.
A strong showing by the Greens and a group of so-called “teal independents”, who campaigned on policies of integrity, equality and tackling climate change, means the makeup of the new Parliament looks set to be much less climate-sceptic than the one that supported Mr Morrison’s pro-coal mining administration.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg conceded it would be “difficult” for him to hold the long-held Liberal seat of Kooyong in Melbourne to an independent newcomer in one of the biggest hits to the government.
“Labor is 72 and needs 76 seats to govern. There are 11 members of the crossbench, most of whom support action on climate change,” said ABC election analyst Antony Green in a live broadcast.
“If Labor falls short and it wants to form government, it can talk to the Greens or it can talk to the crossbench.”
A Newspoll survey by The Australian newspaper out on election day showed Labor’s lead over the ruling coalition dipping a point to 53-47 on a two-party-preferred basis, where votes for unsuccessful candidates are redistributed to the top two contenders.
Turning teal
In at least five affluent Liberal-held seats, so-called “teal independents” looked set to win, tapping voter anger over inaction on climate change after some of the worst floods and fires to hit Australia.
Three volunteers working for teal independent Monique Ryan, who was challenging Mr Frydenberg, said they joined Ms Ryan’s campaign because they are concerned about the climate for the sake of their children and grandchildren.
“For me, it’s like this election actually feels hopeful,” Ms Charlotte Forwood, a working mother of three adult children, told Reuters.
Early returns suggested the Greens had also made ground, looking to pick up to three seats in Queensland.
Greens leader Adam Bandt, who retained his inner city Melbourne seat, said climate was a major issue for voters.
“There was an attempt from Labor and Liberal to bury it, and we were very clear about the need to tackle climate by tackling coal and gas.” Mr Morrison and Mr Albanese earlier cast their votes in Sydney after making whistle-stop tours across marginal seats in the final two days of a campaign dominated by rising living costs, climate change and integrity.
As Labor focused on spiking inflation and sluggish wage growth, Mr Morrison made the country’s lowest unemployment in almost half a century the centrepiece of his campaign’s final hours.*****
