Anthony Albanese has taken Labor to a federal election victory with a lower primary vote than the party recorded at its 2019 loss.
With 66 per cent of the primary vote counted across Australia, Labor is on 32 per cent of the primary vote to 35 per cent for the Coalition.
The Greens have picked picked up 12.9 per cent of the primary vote and Independents have scored 5.5 per cent.
Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party has garnered 4.2 per cent while Pauline Hanson‘s One Nation is at 4.9 per cent and the Liberal Democrats at 1.7 per cent.
In 2019, Labor and then leader by Bill Shorten, were defeated with 33.34 per cent of the primary vote.
Bill Shorten concedes defeat on stage next to his wife Chloe (pictured) during the federal Labor Reception on Election Day in Melbourne in May 2019
Anthony Albanese (centre) vanquished Scott Morrison to become only the fourth Labor leader to win government from opposition since World War II
The major changes in this year’s election results are a swing to Greens which have seen a surge in popularity up from 10.4 per cent in 2019 with preferences going to Labor.
Independents too have seen a wave of support up from 3.37 per cent in 2019.
This is largely courtesy of the 22 ‘teal independent’ candidates who set out to snatch votes from blue-ribbon Liberal seats by offering a focus on climate policy.
Six of them won seats in Sydney and Melbourne at the expense of the Liberals.
One of the most senior moderates left in the LNP Simon Birmingham said on Sunday morning he hoped the party could bring in more women to party following Scott Morrison’s resignation on Saturday night.
‘I will be looking to whoever takes on that role (of party leader) to ensure we bring into Liberal fold more women so we can ensure our party reflects modern Australia in its ranks,’ he said.
Allegra Spender (right), Independent candidate for Wentworth hugs her sister Bianca Spender outside Bondi Beach Public School on Saturday (pictured)
Non-teal Independent Dai Le looks also to knock out Labor’s Home Affairs minister Kristina Keneally in the seat of Fowler where she was parachuted in.
The former NSW premier, moved from Scotland Island in Sydney’s northern beaches to Fowler ahead of the election and said she would stay there if she lost.
While she has not conceded defeat in the seat, Senator Keneally commended her opponent’s campaign on Saturday night.
‘I know that we are here tonight to have a celebration and yet as we are here gathered this evening it’s not entirely clear yet, the result in Fowler, and I do want to congratulate Dai Le and Courtney Nguyen on the campaigns that they ran,’ she said.
A swing of 1.89 per cent has also gone to One Nation in 2022, with Pauline Hanson set to hold her Queensland senate seat.
Anthony Albanese during the 2019 election campaign (pictured)
In the Lower House, the Greens have picked up three Queensland seats to join leader Adam Bandt in Melbourne where he scored 52 per cent of the primary vote, ahead of Labor with 25 per cent.
The Greens will pick up Griffith from Labor’s Teri Butler and Ryan from Liberal Julian Simmonds in a so-called ‘greenslide’ and are ahead in Brisbane.
While his Mr Albanese’s prime ministership is almost certain, less clear is whether Labor will be able to govern in its own right, or whether it will need the help of an expanded crossbench.
The crossbench is looking to double its size with Labor possibly having to work with either the Greens or Indpendents.
Speaking to almost 1000 party faithful at Labor’s election night event in Sydney’s inner west, Mr Albanese said he was humbled by the victory.
‘No matter how you voted … the government I lead will respect every one of you every day,’ he told the crowd.
‘We can have an even better future if we seize the opportunities that are right there in front of us.’
Ellen Sandell, Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens and Adam Bandt, Greens leader and Federal Member for Melbourne on Saturday in Melbourne (pictured)
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the head of Aotearoa’s Labour Party, said she was looking forward to working with her new Australian counterpart.
‘Australia is our most important partner, our only official ally and single economic market relationship, and I believe our countries will work even more closely together,’ she said.