Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Australia Elections Seen Moving Toward Ruling Labor
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
CANBERRA (Worthy News) – Australians voted Saturday in a national election that polls show will likely favor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party over the conservative opposition amid worries about U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s policies such as imposing tariffs on goods.
Labor has tried to cast opposition leader Peter Dutton, who has pledged to sharply reduce immigration and cut thousands of public service jobs, as a Trump-lite conservative endangering the nation’s future.
Dutton had led in opinion polls as recently as February but fell behind Labor after the U.S. placed tariffs on Australia.
The Labor strategy seemed to work, with the first noticeable cheers coming from the Labor watch party after an apparently early swing towards Labor in Peter Dutton’s parliamentary seat of Dickson in Queensland state.
Yet Dutton sought to distance himself from comparisons with Trump adviser Elon Musk’s agency-cutting fervor.
Australia is a close U.S. security ally and generally runs a trade deficit with the United States.
However, it was not spared Trump’s tariffs, with a 10 percent duty imposed on Australian exports.
YOUNG VOTERS
Young voters are playing a crucial role in the race between Prime Minister Albanese of the Australian Labor Party, seeking a second term, and opposition leader Peter Dutton of the Liberal-National Coalition.
Besides how to tackle Trump’s perceived unpredictable presidency, the cost of living, crumbling public healthcare, and unaffordable housing topped the agenda of Australia’s federal election.
Also on the ballot are a range of independents and candidates from the left-wing Greens, who could become kingmakers in case of a hung parliament.
In what will be the 48th Parliament of Australia, all 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 of the 76 seats in the Senate are contested.
Polling booths in Australia – among the few democracies with mandatory voting – opened at 8 a.m. local time, although a record 8 million out of 18 million eligible voters had already cast ballots before Saturday.
Polls were to close at 6 p.m. local time, depending on time zones.
ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Official results can take days or even weeks, but unofficial early results from the electoral commission were used to indicate who would form the next government.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) election analyst Antony Green already said that it’s “hard to see” the opposition Coalition winning.
“It is hard to see them winning, I must say that, whether this is going to translate into Labor having a win or big win, it is going to take a lot more to go,” he said.
Green suggested there’s been a swing toward Labor rather than the Coalition.
However, Peter Dutton stressed that he believed in “miracles” and was hopeful that “quiet Australians” would vote for him.
The first results and polls indicated that it did not happen on Saturday.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
In a setback to those hoping for regime change in the Islamic Republic, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signaled Friday that he may begin “winding down” military operations against Iran, saying Washington is close to achieving its objectives.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Hungary in a last-minute show of support for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who faces his toughest election since returning to power in 2010, officials familiar with the planning confirmed.
Anti-immigration and local parties made gains in municipal elections in the Netherlands, where concerns over rising migration from mainly Islamic countries, the financial impact of climate policies, and increased defense spending have dominated national and local debates.
Israel signaled Thursday it would refrain from further attacks on energy infrastructure after a strike on Iran’s vast South Pars natural gas field triggered retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, sending oil and natural gas prices sharply higher and raising fears of a wider regional escalation.
European Union leaders condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s decision on Thursday to block a 90 billion euro ($98 billion) loan for Ukraine, linking his stance to a dispute with Kyiv over Russian oil supplies.
Families and friends of scores of Christians held in Iranian prisons have requested prayers as “concerns for their well-being grow and communication has all but ceased” amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, Christians told Worthy News Thursday.
As a marathon debate over the SAVE America Act continues in the U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats are sparring over whether the voter ID bill would strengthen election security or discourage potential voters.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com