'Trump effect': Australian Labor PM Anthony Albanese clinches comeback in historic second term

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese secured a historic comeback victory for his Labor Party in the federal elections on Saturday, becoming the first prime minister—in more than two decades—to win a second consecutive three-year term.

“Australians have chosen to face global challenges the Australian way, looking after each other while building for the future,” Albanese told supporters in a victory speech in Sydney.

“We do not need to beg or borrow or copy from anywhere else. We do not seek our inspiration overseas. We find it right here in our values and in our people,” he added.

Dutton's Liberals had been leading in opinion polls as recently as February as voters blamed the government for cost of living pressures, food insecurity and a housing crisis, as per a Reuters report.

Amid similar political circumstances in the election of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney—as a repsonse to global backlash against US President Donald Trump's administration style—Peter Dutton, leader of the conservative Liberal party, lost his own parliamentary seat and conceded defeat to Albanese, promising to rebuild.

"We didn't do well enough during this campaign. That much is obvious tonight, and I accept full responsibility for that," Dutton said in a televised speech.

“Earlier on, I called the prime minister to congratulate him on his success tonight. It’s an historic occasion for the Labor Party and we recognise that,” he added.

ALSO READ | “For all Canadians”: Ex-banker Mark Carney achieves historic PM win, defies Trump in landmark federal elections

While both sides recognised Australia's cost-of-living crisis and climate change, Labor wished to use more renewable resources on the path to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, whereas the Liberals were more in favour of cutting one in five public service jobs to fund nuclear energy usage, so as to to attain the same sustainability goal.

These radical differences in approaching common goals, in light of the global impact of the Trump administration, prompted comparisons of whom the Labor party called 'DOGE-y Dutton' to Trump—and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Dutton's Liberals highlighted the negative impact that the Trump comparisons had on the elections in both Australia and Canada, with party spokesman, Senator James Paterson terming this phenomenon the “Trump effect”, in an interview with ABC.

“It was devastating in Canada for the conservatives ... I think it has been a factor here, just how big a factor will be determined in a few hours' time,” he said.

World