As the Labor Party celebrates its stunning election win as the first government since World War II to increase its share of the vote after a first term, the Coalition and Greens are grappling with an historic fallout.
Anthony Albanese has secured another three years as Prime Minister with his party securing a majority in the House of Representatives, with 89 seats.
The Liberal–National Coalition, seen as the favourite to form government just a couple months ago, are sitting with just 40 secured seats, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton losing his seat of Dickson.
ABC Canberra political reporter Patrick Bell said the ALP targeted young people in the first election where baby boomers were outnumbered by Gen Z and millennial voters.
He particularly cited their policy to cut student debt by 20 per cent as a factor for their success in his region.
“Among millennials who have been in the workforce for a few years and might still be struggling with big debt, [Labor’s policy] positioned them well,” he said.
“With some of the more acute cost of living pressures, voters are perhaps more inclined to think about the here-and-now rather than anything long-term.”
Labor dominated nationally, with 11 previously Liberal seats swung to the red. Three Greens seats, including party leader Adam Bandt’s of Melbourne, were also lost to the incumbent government.
The most dramatic loss was seen in the electorate of Griffith, Queensland, with prominent Greens member Max Chandler-Mather losing to Labor’s Renee Coffey on a staggering 20.6 per cent swing away from the minor party.
Mr Bandt conceded his loss on Thursday afternoon, saying that despite the Greens’ reduced representation in parliament, they achieved the highest number of first-preference votes in the electorate.
“The Greens got the highest vote in Melbourne, but One Nation and Liberal preferences will get Labor over the line,” Mr Bandt said.
“To win in Melbourne we needed to overcome Liberal, Labor and One Nation combined, and it’s an Everest we’ve climbed a few times now, but this time we fell just short.”
Additional reporting: Madison Arnold.
