SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has celebrated election victory while the opposition leader conceded an unexpected defeat.
Morrison thanked “quiet Australians” for delivering his party a “miracle” election victory in Saturday’s election.
“I have always believed in miracles!” Morrison told a room filled with happy supporters of the Liberal Party, adding, “How good is Australia?”
Initial vote counts indicate that Morrison’s coalition government is to remain in power. With half the votes counted on Saturday, it is unclear whether Morrison’s party can govern with an outright majority.
The rest of the ballots are to be counted this weekend.
Pre-election polls, however, had indicated that the Labor Party was set to win the elections.
However, the center-left party suffered a shock defeat in national polls.
The leader of the party, Bill Shorten, conceded defeat late Saturday, saying that the Labor Party would not be able to form government
He announced that he had decided that he would resign from his post as party leader.
“And without wanting to hold out any false hope … it is obvious that Labor will not be able to form the next government,” Shorten said.
Surveys showed that the economy, cost of living, environment and health were central concerns for voters, while younger people in particular voiced frustration about climate change and a lack of affordable housing. Morrison campaigned primarily on economic issues, often doing so alone while painting the election as a choice between himself and Shorten.Shorten promised to cut tax breaks for the wealthy and to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
There were fierce debates about the rolling leadership turmoil, formal recognition of indigenous Australians, and the treatment of female MPs in parliament.
“I think people have become afraid after a very negative campaign,” Labor supporter Julie Nelson said at the party’s Melbourne election night function. “They [the Liberals] managed to convince people they should be afraid of change.”