Labor’s landslide victory is being held as a win for the ages and has the Coalition staring down its worst-ever federal election results. The extraordinary victory for Labor was sealed just hours after polls closed. With a triumphant and tearful Anthony Albanese becoming the first re-elected Labor Prime Minister since Bob Hawke. As counting continues the massive swing to Labor has delivered a commanding majority and has left the Coalition leader-less with Peter Dutton topping a long list of high-profile casualties.
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00:00In the pantheon of Labor Prime Ministers, Anthony Albanese cements his place, re-elected
00:11in a ringing endorsement of centrist politics.
00:14Australians have chosen a majority Labor government.
00:20Australians chose stability and predictability after a five-week campaign that demolished
00:26Peter Dutton.
00:27And I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet.
00:33And delivered Labor a powerful mandate.
00:35This card is not Labor red or Liberal blue, it is green and gold.
00:43Serving up lemon sorbet in his seat on Sunday morning.
00:48Is victory sweet, Prime Minister?
00:51Well, it's satisfying, but also very, very humbling.
00:57The Prime Minister savoured this moment and spared another for his vanquished opponent.
01:02Feel for Peter Dutton. He was generous in his comments and it would have been a tough night for Peter.
01:08The opposition leader, the highest profile casualty of the night, toppled in Dixon by a third time challenger.
01:16We all woke up to a big red wave and I couldn't be happier about that.
01:21That red wave crashed over Queensland.
01:25The magnificent seven.
01:27The seven new federal members of parliament coming from Queensland.
01:31Ending the coalition's stranglehold on the state.
01:34We didn't do well enough during this campaign.
01:37That much is obvious tonight and I accept full responsibility for that.
01:41Labor gains were made at the expense of the Greens too.
01:44At least two of its seats in the Sunshine State fell.
01:48Down in Melbourne, Greens leader Adam Bant's own seat still too close to call.
01:53He may get back by the skin of his teeth, but he'll be leading a much reduced team in the house.
01:58From the moment counting began, it was clear a swing to Labor was on.
02:03A record number of early votes demanded early caution.
02:06Let's wait till pre-poll comes in.
02:08But seats started to tumble in every state. At least one in Victoria, two in Tasmania,
02:15and three in New South Wales.
02:17It is bad news everywhere for them.
02:19And soon, Labor's red wall extended from coast to coast.
02:24This could be a big win for Labor, but it's certainly a win.
02:28It was big. The Albanese government increased its majority, improved its primary vote,
02:34and now commands more than a 30-seat lead over the coalition.
02:38The fact that we're in this position at 8.30 on election night is a tribute to Anthony Albanese.
02:43And supporters showed him their appreciation.
02:47On a history-making night, tears and Albanese-branded beers flowed.
02:52The party was on track for a victory, but no-one predicted the scale.
02:57We take up this task with new hope, new confidence and new determination.
03:05Anthony Albanese has written himself into the history books,
03:08winning a second term as Prime Minister and increasing Labor's majority in the process.
03:14It's a stunning turnaround for a government that began the year behind in the opinion polls.
03:19But this landslide victory, even bigger than Kevin Rudd's,
03:23not only secures Labor a second term, but sets it up for a third term too.