Aussie voters ditch conservatives

Nine years of conservative leadership is over, as the Labor opposition takes the W.    

What’s left when you’re right? 

Australia made a choice in its latest federal election. After nine years of conservative rule, its government had developed a reputation as being boorish, macho and ignorant, with its leader, Scott Morrison, all too often showing small-t Trumpian traits.  

So, faced with another conservative term, voters have sent Morrison packing. The results of the election were a hard ‘no’ for the kind of politics that Morrison favored, and instead the center-left Labor party reigned victorious. The new prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was sworn in yesterday morning, signaling a new era for those down under.  

Climate action the real winner 

Whether this is an endorsement of the center-left, or a rejection of Morrison’s divisive leadership, may remain up for debate. But the real victory, according to many commentators, is for climate action, upon which Albanese’s Labor Party based much of its campaign. “Millions of Australians have put climate first,” said Amanda McKenzie, CEO of the research group, the Climate Council.   

There’s not much time for Albanese to revel in his victory, though. From the center-left perspective, there are plenty of bridges that need rebuilding; not just in addressing climate change, but foreign and domestic policy, too. The road ahead is not an easy one, but Australians have handed Albanese a shot at implementing real change. Let’s see if he takes it.