Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is back in The Lodge and working on his new ministry. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
Anthony Albanese has returned to Canberra as a newly re-elected Prime Minister, deciding the shape of his next Cabinet and ministry while promising to get straight back to work on shaping Australia’s future.
Meanwhile, the Coalition is leaderless, with accusations and incriminations being cast around the Liberal Party over its trouncing at the polls on Saturday (3 May).
Labor secured a convincing victory, having won at least 85 seats, with close counts continuing in other electorates that remain too close to call.
Political commentators are suggesting the size of Labor’s win could see the party in power for at least another decade, while the Coalition scrambles to rebuild itself after what looks set to be its worst electoral loss in 80 years.
Mr Albanese said his government will remain disciplined and focused on the next term, despite the magnitude of the ALP’s win.
“We’re not getting carried away with it,” the Prime Minister said.
“We’ve got a big job to do. We thank the Australian people for having faith in us.
“I think we’ve been a good government, but we’ve got a good, positive agenda, and that’s what Australian people voted for.”
Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes has blasted her own party during Monday morning media interviews.
She said the Coalition’s strategy was woeful and there was a “complete lack of policy” being presented to the electorate. Even shadow ministers were kept in the dark over election announcements.
“I really don’t know what was going on at the senior levels of those people that were supposed to be putting together the policy, because it wasn’t filtering down to other members of the parliamentary team,” she said.
“But as well as that, there was more mud being slung in this election than I have ever seen and nothing done to combat that.
“There were people that just were MIA [missing in action] and I just don’t think there was enough being done to combat the Albanese narrative.”
Senator Hughes also took a swipe at shadow treasurer Angus Taylor, who some in the Coalition are touting as the next Liberal leader.
“I have concerns about his capability. I feel we have zero economic policy to sell,” she said.
“I don’t know what he’s been doing for three years. There was no tax policy, there was no economic narrative.”
The ACTU welcomed the federal government’s re-election, saying the nation couldn’t stomach the thought of being led by Peter Dutton.
Secretary Sally McManus said Australians have rejected the path of Donald Trump’s far-right populism.
“The Liberal Party should learn the lesson that touching workers’ rights will hurt them,’ she said.
“They were forced to flip-flop on policies such as same job, same pay and working from home during the election campaign, and this hurt them badly.
“People knew that Peter Dutton was a big risk. You cannot help people with cost-of-living pressures by cutting their rights.”
The Activate Australia’s Skills campaign has also welcomed the re-election of the Albanese government, saying the result offers a renewed chance to fix one of Australia’s biggest productivity roadblocks – the failure to recognise and fully harness the skills of migrants already living and working here.
“This term must be the one where we finally fix skills recognition in this country,” campaign spokesperson Violet Roumeliotis said.
“Australia is missing out on $9 billion in economic activity every year because migrants are working below their skill level and locked out of their professions. It’s wasteful, it’s unfair, and it’s holding the country back.”
Universities Australia has congratulated the PM, with chief executive officer Luke Sheehy saying the umbrella organisation is keen to continue working constructively as a “partner of the Albanese Government” to support Australia’s future.
“Universities are central to much of Labor’s second-term agenda and to meeting Australia’s skills and economic needs,” he said.
“They educate the skilled workers and undertake the research needed to lift productivity and drive a stronger economy, guide the energy transition, deliver quality healthcare and to keep Australians safe.
“We are very supportive of the Australian Universities Accord and are eager to work alongside the government to continue implementing this transformational vision for higher education.”
CPA Australia, Australia’s largest accounting body, has urged the re-elected government to focus its new term in office on the “three Rs to revitalise, reform and repair” the Australian economy.
“Amid so much global uncertainty, the government should implement a long-term strategic plan to improve Australia’s economic prospects, not just for this term but for future generations,” CEO Chris Freeland said.
