Labor clinches ‘win for the ages’ as Dutton loses his seat

ABC NEWS (Australia)

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.

Transcript

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.

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