SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s Labor Party will form the country’s next government on Monday, as unprecedented support for the Greens and climate-focussed independents ended nearly a decade of rule by the conservative coalition.
QUOTES
“I do want to change the country. I want to change the way that politics operates in this country,” incoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday.
“I want to have a cooperative relationship. I want to bring people together, including the states and territories, and local government as well… just as I’ll bring unions and employers and other organisations together in an employment summit in coming months.”
THE NEXT PRIME MINISTER AND SENIOR MINISTERS
* Albanese is a pragmatic leader from a working-class background who has pledged to end divisions in the country.
* Albanese and four senior ministers will be sworn on Monday, allowing the new prime minister to attend a “Quad” summit in Tokyo on Tuesday with the leaders of the United States, India and Japan.
INDEPENDENT WOMEN UPEND POLITICS
A third force emerged in Australian politics as professional women took a swath of Liberal seats running as independents on platforms of climate action, integrity and gender equity.
END OF THE CLIMATE WARS?
This might be the election that ends more than a decade of climate wars in a country seen as an international laggard on climate action, with business facing a gradual tightening of allowed carbon emissions.
CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE NEIGHBOURS
Pacific neighbours congratulated Albanese, including Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, whose security pact with China became an election issue.
A BIG SCALP
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has not conceded but knows it will be hard to retain his seat, saying on Saturday night he might now have more time to be a dad to his children.
PARLIAMENT
The House of Representatives has 151 seats, 76 of which are needed for a majority to form the government.
With 70% of the vote counted, Labor had 72 seats, the coalition 51 while independents and the Greens held 14, the Australian Broadcasting Corp projected. A further 14 seats remained in doubt.
There are 76 Senate seats; 12 for each of the six states and two each for two territories. There are 40 seats up for election: six from each state and the four territory seats.
A complex voting system means it may be weeks before final results for the Senate are known.
GRAPHIC:
FACTBOX: Australia’s democracy
(Reporting by John Mair; Editing by William Mallard)
