Australia Votes 2025: The Albanese Era
Anthony Albanese has cemented himself in the pantheon of great Labor heroes, scoring the party its largest victory ever in modern Australian politics.
It’s being dubbed an “Alboslide”, with Anthony Albanese becoming the first Australian prime minister in 21 years to secure a second consecutive term, following John Howard in 2004.
Election results across the country project Labor returning to government with a second consecutive majority, a feat not achieved since Bob Hawke’s Labor government in 1990, nearly 35 years ago.
Current projections indicate Labor expanding its seat count from 77 to between 85 and 89, with the potential to exceed 90. The party is also on track to achieve a two-party-preferred vote of 55 per cent, the highest since the post-World War II era.
In contrast, the election was a disaster for the Coalition. The Liberals suffered heavy losses in metropolitan seats across Australia, including Tasmania. Most significantly, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton lost his Queensland seat of Dickson to Labor’s Ali France, with a swing of 8 per cent.
The Coalition is projected to win roughly 37 seats, its worst result since the Liberal Party’s first contest in the 1946 federal election, with its primary vote collapsing to 31.8 per cent.
Despite an aggressive campaign, the Greens are set to lose half their seats, though leader Adam Bandt is expected to retain his seat of Melbourne. Teal independents performed strongly, with projections suggesting they will expand their influence on the crossbench.
A visibly emotional Anthony Albanese described the result as “a victory for Australian values”:
“For fairness, for aspiration, for opportunity for all. For the strength to show courage, adversity and kindness to those in need. And Australians have voted for a future that holds true to these values.”
A Victory for True Believers
Anthony Albanese, his son and fiance, celebrating the victory | Anthony Albanese Facebook
Few could have predicted the scale of Labor’s victory or the collapse of the Liberal primary vote in metropolitan cities on election night.
Anthony Albanese embodied this historic moment. As he walked onto the stage at the Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL to address the exuberant party faithful, his face raw with emotion and eyes glistening, he became the first Australian prime minister since John Howard—and before him, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, Gough Whitlam, and Robert Menzies—to deliver a victory of such magnitude.
Yet, this triumph seemed improbable just months ago, when voters appeared to be shifting toward the Coalition. Key issues dominated the campaign: the cost-of-living crisis, marked by the largest fall in disposable income among developed nations, and global instability. The failure of the Voice to Parliament referendum, Labor’s losses in Queensland and the Northern Territory, and lingering trauma from the 2019 federal election defeat had dampened expectations. Even Labor insiders could not have foreseen the landslide heading their way.
“I make this solemn pledge…our government will dedicate the next three years to making a positive difference in your lives, for your future. Bringing the rewards of your hard work within your reach. Investing in our youngest Australians, looking after our oldest Australians”
While some attribute Labor’s landslide victory to the Coalition’s campaign failures, the tactical brilliance of Labor’s strategy delivered the decisive blow to the Liberals. Over the final five weeks, Labor’s campaign crisscrossed the nation, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prominently displaying a Medicare card to underscore policy priorities. The party remained unified, deftly countering every Coalition talking point and dominating leadership debates by wide margins. It was, by many measures, one of the most effective political campaigns in modern Australian history.
On a campaign centred around the one core issue – cost of living – anyone could have told you they would be better off under Labor’s tax relief and rebates than to the Coalition’s one-off fuel excise cut.
Albanese’s victory signals a new era in Australian politics, one he describes as “positive” and focused on the interests of everyday Australians. This stands in stark contrast to the Coalition’s “negative” campaign and extends an olive branch to the opposition, urging them to align with modern values.
Despite Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ assurance on the ABC’s election coverage panel that the Albanese government will pursue “sensible” and moderate reforms regardless of the margin of victory, Labor’s sweeping mandate suggests an electorate demanding bold social democratic reforms to Australia’s institutions and economy.
Whatever further interpretations arise from this election, one thing is certain: the Albanese era in Australian politics has well and truly begun.
The Collapse of the Right
Peter Dutton giving his concession speech after losing his own seat of Dickson | Mick Tsikas AAP
Peter Dutton’s leadership has been described as the most damaging in the Liberal Party’s history—a characterisation some might consider an understatement.
The Coalition knew unseating an incumbent government after one term would be challenging. The last such occurrence was in 1931, when Labor lost to the United Australia Party amid the Great Depression’s extraordinary circumstances. The Coalition believed Australia faced similar exceptional conditions in 2025, and they weren’t entirely wrong.
As noted, Labor faced significant headwinds. Despite delivering two budget surpluses driven by windfall revenue, the economy suffered from declining living standards, low productivity, and a shrinking private sector. Polls from December 2024 to January 2025 even gave the Coalition a two-party-preferred lead of 53 to 47 per cent. Treasurer Jim Chalmers, quoted by News Corp, forecasted a decade of “debt and deficits” earlier this year, underscoring economic challenges.
Yet, it was clear early on that the Liberals were failing to connect with teal independents and centrist moderates in suburban and inner-city seats.
So, what went wrong?
“It has been a great honour to be leader of this amazing party for the last three years”
In the coming days and weeks, analysts will propose numerous theories for the Liberals’ dramatic collapse over the campaign’s final five weeks, but several core issues stand out.
First, the Coalition was unprepared for government. A party that prides itself on stability appeared chaotic, with policy backflips on work-from-home arrangements, public sector cuts, and taxation eroding confidence. Leaks from party insiders revealed a campaign making policy on the fly, alienating both left- and right-leaning voters and signalling a lack of commitment to governance.
Second, the Coalition’s flagship policy—a once-in-a-generation reform to Australia’s energy grid through nuclear power—failed to resonate. The proposal raised questions about its viability, and Dutton’s reluctance to engage on the issue, even avoiding regions where the policy was promoted, undermined its credibility.
Third, and perhaps most critically, the Liberal Party faces an existential question: what does it stand for? This is not rhetorical or meant to inflame; it’s a genuine challenge to message why voters should support Australian liberalism. Does today’s Liberal Party reflect the values of Robert Menzies, or has it become a coalition of conservatives and right-wing populists focused on division? Does the Coalition still stand for lower taxes and deregulation?
The path forward is unclear. Potential leadership candidates like Susan Ley, Dan Tehan, and Angus Taylor carry significant baggage, with some privately blaming Taylor for the defeat. Andrew Hastie, re-elected in his Perth seat, offers a fresh perspective but lacks national prominence. Keith Wolahan, a touted future leader, is expected to lose his seat, ruling him out of contention.
Regardless of political allegiance, one truth is undeniable: we are witnessing a pivotal moment in Australian political history.