Australia’s rightwing Coalition government has lost power after nearly a decade in office, with Saturday’s election showing a sharp shift to progressive parties that will see a Labor administration formed – possibly with the support of climate-focussed independents or Greens. Within hours of polls closing, multiple election analysts said it was clear the ruling Coalition – led by Scott Morrison’s conservative Liberal party and the rural-based National party – could not retain the 76 seats it held, which is the minimum required to form a parliamentary majority.
Just before 11pm on Saturday, Morrison conceded defeat, and announced he would step down as leader of his party. “We’ve seen in our own politics a great deal of disruption as the people have voted today with major parties having one of the lowest primary votes we’ve ever seen,” Morrison told supporters at his election night reception in Sydney. “I know about the upheaval that’s taking place in our nation. And I think it is important for our nation to heal and to move forward,” Morrison said.
The Labor opposition outperformed the Coalition, but by Saturday evening it was not apparent it could win a majority of seats to be able to claim victory – which would have been its first at an election since 2007. Labor leader Anthony Albanese is seen as being the most likely to be able to form government, with results after four hours of vote counting indicating he could need the support of independent or minor party MPs to reach a majority.
The biggest surprise out of the election was the surge in support for the Greens party. By Saturday evening, the party – which has struggled to win more than the one seat it first picked up more than a decade ago – was on track to win as many as three additional seats, all focussed in progressive areas of Brisbane.
While both major parties were at pains throughout the campaign as to not appear overly ambitious on climate action, the legacy of recent natural disasters across several states, including deadly bushfires and floods, appeared to have resonated with inner city voters.
R&I – FS
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