Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has secured a second term following a decisive victory for the Labour Party in Australia’s federal election. The result marks a historic turning point, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton losing his Brisbane seat of Dickson to Labor’s Ali France, becoming the first federal opposition leader to lose his seat in Australian political history.
As votes were counted and the ABC’s election analyst Antony Green made the final call, it was clear: this was a Labor landslide.
“The people have made a clear choice,” Albanese told a jubilant crowd of supporters. “Australians have chosen to face global challenges the Australian way.”
According to the Australian Electoral Commission, Labor has secured a majority government with at least 86 seats in the House of Representatives. While the final makeup of the Senate is still to be determined, the result gives Labor a strong mandate heading into its second term.
Relief Among LGBTQ+ Communities
The news of Labor’s landslide victory has been met with cautious optimism from LGBTQ+ communities across Australia. With far-right rhetoric and attacks on trans and gender-diverse people on the rise both globally and domestically, many have looked to Albanese’s leadership for stability and protection.
Rodney Coome, writing for QNews, noted that Labor’s support for LGBTQIA+ Australians has often flown under the radar.
“Labor supports the LGBTQIA+ community when no one else will notice or care much,” Coome said, pointing to funding for health programs, community initiatives, and international LGBTQIA+ advocacy.
However, he also highlighted Labor’s shortcomings, particularly on reforms likely to provoke religious backlash. “It outright refuses to move forward if reform might impact faith communities,” he wrote, citing the broken promise on anti-discrimination protections in religious schools and inaction on vilification laws.
Greens Make Gains in Vote Share Despite Seat Losses
While the Greens lost two of their three Queensland seats — including one held by openly gay MP Stephen Bates — they are still celebrating their highest nationwide vote share in history.
“Stephen has been an incredible voice for Brisbane,” Greens leader Adam Bandt said. “More people than ever before backed the Greens’ big solutions for the housing, cost of living, and climate crisis.”
Bandt acknowledged the impact of a dramatic collapse in the Liberal vote, which helped Labor reclaim seats such as Griffith and Brisbane with Liberal preferences, even as the Greens maintained strong support.
Independents Hold Ground
High-profile independents Zali Steggall, Allegra Spender, Monique Ryan and Sophie Scamps have all retained their seats, continuing their role as influential crossbench voices in the new Parliament.
Liberal Party Faces Reckoning
Peter Dutton’s defeat and the broader collapse of the Liberal Party’s vote represent a significant blow to the conservative movement in Australia. Dutton conceded defeat, saying, “It is not our night.”
As the political landscape shifts, the Liberal Party faces pressure to reflect on its direction and reconnect with a changing electorate.
