In his victory speech celebrating being reelected in a landslide for another three-year term, Albanese said he knew “the world has thrown a lot at our country” over the previous three years.
“That is why it means so much that in these uncertain times, the people of Australia have placed their trust in Labor once again,” he said.
In a pointed reference to Trump and the American-style political campaigning adopted by Dutton, Albanese said: “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.”
In his concession speech, Dutton acknowledged his party “didn’t do well enough during this campaign,” adding: “I accept full responsibility for that.”
The final phase of the Australian election campaign was dominated by Trump’s tariffs and the cost of living, with polls shifting toward Albanese’s incumbent Labor Party after a series of Dutton gaffes.
“In this time of global uncertainty, Australians have chosen optimism and determination,” Albanese told his supporters. “Our government will choose the Australian way because we are proud of who we are,” he said.