AUSTRALIA’S LABOR TO RETAKE POWER AFTER 9 YEARS

Signals big shift in climate policy

Australia’s Labor Party will form the country’s next government on Monday, as unprecedented support for the Greens and climate-focused independents ended nearly a decade of rule by the conservative coalition.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese said he will be sworn in as the 31st prime minister on Monday after Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Liberal Party was toppled in several urban strongholds by independents, mostly women, who campaigned for more action on climate change, integrity and gender equality.

Speaking to the BBC shortly after his election victory, Albanese, 59, said Australia could become a renewable energy superpower and now has “an opportunity now to end the climate wars” in the country.

“Australian businesses know that good action on climate change is good for jobs and good for our economy, and I want to join the global effort.” he said.

Official results of the election could take several days, with the counting of a record 2.7 million postal votes to begin Sunday afternoon. The centreleft party remains four to five seats short of a majority of 76 in the 151 seat lower house with about a dozen electorates too close to call, television channels reported on Sunday. Labor may need the support of independents and smaller parties to return to power for the first time since 2013.

Several world leaders, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and neighbouring New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern, congratulated Albanese on his win.