Australian Federal election 2025 recap: Anthony Albanese wins landslide, hails ‘profound opportunity’

Dylan Caporn, Peta Rasdien and Max Corstorphan
The Nightly
“Serving as your prime minister is the greatest honour of my life,” Albanese said addressing the nation from Labor’s election headquarters on Saturday night.

Scroll down for to recap the day’s events as they happened.

Key events

03 May 2025 - 09:21 PM

Ali France thanks the people of Dickson

03 May 2025 - 09:15 PM

Abbott says Liberal party will rebuild

03 May 2025 - 09:13 PM

Sarah Henderson: Peter Dutton is a great loss

03 May 2025 - 09:01 PM

Tom White tells supporters the count is not over

03 May 2025 - 08:21 PM

PM: Tomorrow the work begins

03 May 2025 - 08:20 PM

PM pays tribute to son and fiancee

03 May 2025 - 08:14 PM

Albo whips out the Medicare card

03 May 2025 - 08:13 PM

State of play: Victoria

03 May 2025 - 08:12 PM

PM: Govt will tackle climate change and close the gap

03 May 2025 - 08:10 PM

PM: This is time of ‘profound opportunity’

03 May 2025 - 08:07 PM

PM makes pledge to Australians

03 May 2025 - 08:07 PM

PM makes pledge to Australians

03 May 2025 - 08:05 PM

PM pays tribute to Peter Dutton

03 May 2025 - 08:03 PM

PM addresses global challenges

03 May 2025 - 08:02 PM

PM: Australia voted for Australian values

03 May 2025 - 08:00 PM

Albanese: Serving as PM ‘greatest honour’

03 May 2025 - 07:58 PM

Wong: Tonight a ‘new chapter’ for Australia

03 May 2025 - 07:55 PM

Penny Wong introducing the PM

03 May 2025 - 07:51 PM

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about to take stage for victory speech

03 May 2025 - 07:46 PM

Jubilant scenes at Labor HQ ahead of PM’s speech

03 May 2025 - 07:41 PM

Dutton signs off with a word about his love for Australia

03 May 2025 - 07:40 PM

Dutton pays tribute to family

03 May 2025 - 07:37 PM

Dutton: ‘It’s been a great honour to lead’

03 May 2025 - 07:35 PM

Dutton: ‘We didn’t do well enough during the campaign’

03 May 2025 - 07:34 PM

Peter Dutton begins concession speech

03 May 2025 - 07:28 PM

Labor re-elected for a second term with a majority

03 May 2025 - 07:25 PM

Joyce defends Dutton after he loses Dickson

03 May 2025 - 07:17 PM

Chalmers, McGrath comment on Dutton loss

03 May 2025 - 07:10 PM

Price: Labor campaign built on lies

03 May 2025 - 07:10 PM

Labor gains two in Queensland from the Greens

03 May 2025 - 07:05 PM

Chalmers: Albanese to serve full term and run for third

03 May 2025 - 06:58 PM

Labor ahead in early counting in Bullwinkel

03 May 2025 - 06:47 PM

Murray Watt: Liberal party will need to front up

03 May 2025 - 06:46 PM

Hanson says voters ‘not happy’ with Dutton

03 May 2025 - 06:46 PM

Peter Dutton loses seat: 7NEWS

03 May 2025 - 06:45 PM

Jason Clare says its been a bitter battle for Blaxland

03 May 2025 - 06:45 PM

Kate Chaney arrives at count party

03 May 2025 - 06:28 PM

South Australia swings towards Labor

03 May 2025 - 06:25 PM

Labor picks up three seats from Liberals

03 May 2025 - 06:18 PM

Anthony Albanese wins second term as Prime Minister

03 May 2025 - 06:14 PM

Guests slow to filter in at Dutton HQ

03 May 2025 - 06:02 PM

No path to Government for the Coalition: 7NEWS

03 May 2025 - 06:00 PM

Polls close in WA

03 May 2025 - 05:49 PM

Victoria holds steady, but Nationals challenge Labor MP in Bendigo

03 May 2025 - 05:37 PM

Peter Dutton faces challenge in his own seat

03 May 2025 - 05:22 PM

Liberals under threat in blue-ribbon Bradfield, and independent challenges minister

03 May 2025 - 05:17 PM

Queensland Greens fading

03 May 2025 - 05:13 PM

Early trend favours Labor in Tassie

03 May 2025 - 05:09 PM

NSW - An hour in to counting

03 May 2025 - 04:57 PM

Labor under threat in Canberra seat

03 May 2025 - 04:48 PM

Adam Bandt labels election ‘battle of the band-aid’

03 May 2025 - 04:32 PM

McGrath: Result tonight unlikely

03 May 2025 - 04:21 PM

First seats called

03 May 2025 - 04:09 PM

Where are Albanese and Dutton?

03 May 2025 - 04:00 PM

Polls close

03 May 2025 - 03:52 PM

Early voting proves popular

03 May 2025 - 03:48 PM

What to watch for: Tasmania, NT and … Canberra

03 May 2025 - 03:44 PM

What to watch for: Western Australia

03 May 2025 - 03:37 PM

What to watch for: Queensland

03 May 2025 - 03:32 PM

What to watch for: Victoria

03 May 2025 - 03:28 PM

What to watch for: New South Wales

03 May 2025 - 03:24 PM

What to watch for: South Australia

03 May 2025 - 03:03 PM

Labor volunteer ’hip and shoulders’ Liberal volunteer

03 May 2025 - 02:43 PM

Ex-WA Labor premier Mark McGowan handing out flyers

03 May 2025 - 02:40 PM

Democracy sausages in short supply

03 May 2025 - 01:43 PM

The moments that have shaped the election campaign

03 May 2025 - 01:18 PM

Tight contest: Curtin may come down to just a few hundred votes

03 May 2025 - 01:11 PM

Ultimate election guide: How it works, key seats to watch and what it all means

03 May 2025 - 12:41 PM

‘Albo, Albo’: Chants greet PM as he makes third polling booth stop

03 May 2025 - 12:10 PM

Dutton banking on ‘quiet Australians’ as he casts ballot Dickson

03 May 2025 - 11:59 AM

Anthony Albanese casts his vote in Federal election

03 May 2025 - 11:50 AM

How is voting go around Australia? Let’s take a look

03 May 2025 - 11:34 AM

Gaza conflict an issue among some voters in PM’s Grayndler seat

03 May 2025 - 11:18 AM

What voters are saying in the PM’s electorate

03 May 2025 - 11:17 AM

Voters in PM’s Grayndler seat cite housing, climate crisis as major issues

03 May 2025 - 11:10 AM

Wilkie highlights Australia’s voting system

03 May 2025 - 11:03 AM

Where is Hanson during the WA how-to-vote debacle?

03 May 2025 - 10:50 AM

One Nation how to vote error in WA

03 May 2025 - 10:48 AM

Sunny skies in Brisbane as Watt supports local Labor

03 May 2025 - 10:33 AM

Steggall votes, pleads for voters to keep seat Independent

03 May 2025 - 10:23 AM

Ben Small’s final push for Forrest

03 May 2025 - 10:16 AM

Tom White arrives to vote in Curtin’s close race

03 May 2025 - 10:14 AM

Coalition divide denied as Bullwinkel race goes down to the wire

03 May 2025 - 09:59 AM

Forrest’s independent cast her vote, says attacks on her have no truth

03 May 2025 - 09:56 AM

Sage sausage advice from Madeleine King

03 May 2025 - 09:49 AM

Roger Cook, Madeleine King enjoy a democracy sausage variant

03 May 2025 - 09:33 AM

Madeleine King's royal entrance with the Premier

03 May 2025 - 09:31 AM

Albany voters heading to the polls at Mt Lockyer Primary School

03 May 2025 - 09:30 AM

Queensland premier throws support behind Dutton as he heads home

03 May 2025 - 09:17 AM

Albo, Dutton wrap up campaigning in key state

03 May 2025 - 08:45 AM

‘See you in caucus’: PM eyes Labor win in Liberal founder named seat

03 May 2025 - 08:40 AM

Dutton shares very long handshake at Melbourne petrol station

03 May 2025 - 08:37 AM

Dutton stops off at 17th petrol station

03 May 2025 - 08:05 AM

Polling booths now open across all of Australia

03 May 2025 - 07:58 AM

WATCH: Albanese, Dutton make final pitch to voters

03 May 2025 - 07:42 AM

‘No way in the world that Labor can form a majority’: Dutton

03 May 2025 - 07:36 AM

Dutton admits politics ‘comes at price’ personally

03 May 2025 - 07:19 AM

Everything you need to know about the democracy sausage

03 May 2025 - 07:11 AM

Dutton’s campaign completes 1.5 laps of Earth’s equator

03 May 2025 - 06:54 AM

Albo and Dutton break it down on social media

03 May 2025 - 06:28 AM

Dutton warns of disaster while making case to become PM

03 May 2025 - 06:14 AM

Voting booths open on Federal election day

03 May 2025 - 06:08 AM

Dutton’s election day morning in photos

03 May 2025 - 06:04 AM

Albanese’s election day morning in photos

03 May 2025 - 05:55 AM

Final poll points to historic election outcome

03 May 2025 - 05:40 AM

Dutton tells Melbourne he ‘can reduce crime’

03 May 2025 - 05:35 AM

Albanese reveals his secret election weapon

03 May 2025 - 05:30 AM

What nice thing Albanese has to say about Dutton

03 May 2025 - 05:27 AM

What nice thing Dutton has to say about Albanese. 

03 May 2025 - 05:23 AM

Albanese says he has been ‘working very hard’ and wants to do ‘better’

03 May 2025 - 05:19 AM

Albanese says he has left ‘nothing on the field’

03 May 2025 - 05:09 AM

‘I want to win today’, says Dutton

03 May 2025 - 05:05 AM

Dutton ‘humble’ after ‘hectic’ campaign

03 May 2025 - 04:59 AM

‘You should never give up’, says Dutton on election day

03 May 2025 - 04:56 AM

Where is Anthony Albanese of election day?

03 May 2025 - 04:44 AM

How to win the Federal election

03 May 2025 - 04:41 AM

Where is Peter Dutton on election day?

03 May 2025 - 04:31 AM

The one Aussie state that could hold the keys to the entire election

03 May 2025 - 04:20 AM

Final poll shows Labor on track for Federal election win

Max Corstorphan

What voters are saying in the PM’s electorate

Bronte Woolley, a media student, said she had voted on housing and economic issues.

“I want more affordable housing,” she said. “It’s really unfair as a student right now, especially for a young person trying to rent in Sydney.

“I’m working full time, studying full time, trying to find a job after I graduate. It’s a lot.”

But Ms Woolley said she was also looking for parties that would protect women’s rights and fight for environmental standards.

She rated the Greens Party as having the best meme game for engaging with Gen Z and Millennials, the largest generational voting bloc.

Tracey and Ninad, who voted with their toddler, said childcare and high property prices were their top concerns.

They said Labor offered the most on childcare, but Ninad added that he was “not a fan” of either of the main party’s housing plans. “Neither is really addressing the underlying issues,” he said.

Voters in PM’s Grayndler seat cite housing, climate crisis as major issues

At the Leichhardt Town Hall in Anthony Albanese’s Sydney constituency of Grayndler, queues of voters were starting to dwindle by late morning after high numbers of pre-polling.

Labor and Green Party volunteers were out in force with voting cards, but a couple of Liberal posters had been defaced, with one showing Peter Dutton’s face with the slogan “I hate poor people,” written in a speech bubble.

A defaced Liberal sign in the PM's electorate.
A defaced Liberal sign in the PM's electorate. Credit: The Nightly/-

Voters were largely families with small children or young people who had been unable to cast their ballot during the week.

A random sample of voters exiting the station put the housing crisis, climate change and the war in Gaza high on their priority list of election issues.

Labor and Greens signs in the seat of Grayndler.
Labor and Greens signs in the seat of Grayndler. Credit: The Nightly/-
Max Corstorphan

Wilkie highlights Australia’s voting system

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has taken a brief pause from handing out how-to-vote cards to highlight the “best” electoral system in the world.

“Australia has the best electoral system and most reliable electoral regulator in the world, and we should be proud of it,” he wrote on X.

Max Corstorphan

Where is Hanson during the WA how-to-vote debacle?

One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson is in Tasmania on election Day.

The Senator took to a polling station in Tasmania to support her duaghter, Lee Hanson, who is running for the Senate.

One Nation how to vote error in WA

In the Western Australian seat of Cowan, One Nation volunteers are rushing to correct an error on the party’s how-to-vote cards.

In an image provided to this masthead, Cowan how-to-vote cards encourage voters in the Senate to put One Nation first in the “K” column.

One Nation how to vote cards in Cowan have an error encouraging a Senate vote for the Socialist Alliance
One Nation how to vote cards in Cowan have an error encouraging a Senate vote for the Socialist Alliance Credit: Supplied

In WA, One Nation is in the “M” column, while a vote in “K” is for the Socialist Alliance.

It is understood that volunteers are handwriting the change on the how-to votes.

Max Corstorphan

Sunny skies in Brisbane as Watt supports local Labor

As some parts of Australia battle through rainy conditions on election day, Senator Murray Watt has attended a sunny Brisbane polling station to support local Labor candidate Madonna Jarret.

“It’s a great morning to vote @AustralianLabor in Brisbane,” Senator Watt wrote.

Max Corstorphan

Steggall votes, pleads for voters to keep seat Independent

Independent MP Zali Steggall has voted, taking to social media to ask voters in the seat of Warringah to keep the electorate independent.

Ms Steggall is expected to keep her seat.

Amber Lilley

Ben Small’s final push for Forrest

Liberal candidate Ben Small has also arrived at Harvey’s polling station giving a final push to voters.

He said he was hopeful the people of Forrest would get behind their positive plans for the electorate.

Forrest Liberals candidate Ben Small talks with voters and retiring MP Nola Marino.
Forrest Liberals candidate Ben Small talks with voters and retiring MP Nola Marino. Credit: South Western Times

“I haven’t taken a single vote for granted since I was lucky enough to be pre-selected for the Liberal Party to hopefully continue Nola Marino’s legacy, of delivering for local people here,” he said.

He said a highlight of the campaign has been meeting so many people and hearing their stories.

“They make you proud to be an Aussie,” he said.

Joe Spagnolo

Tom White arrives to vote in Curtin’s close race

Liberal candidate for Curtin and former Uber executive Tom White has arrived to vote in Claremont.

Curtin is expected to be a tightly contested seat, with Mr White up against independent Kate Chaney. The outcome in Curtin could

Mr White hugged his twin brother Nick as he arrived.

Curtin Liberal candidate Tom White hugs his twin brother Nick,
Curtin Liberal candidate Tom White hugs his twin brother Nick, Credit: Joe Spagnolo/The West Australian

Coalition divide denied as Bullwinkel race goes down to the wire

Liberal candidate Matt Moran has declared cost of living remains the biggest concern of voters in WA’s newest seat, as he voted at Kalamunda Primary School.

“I’ve door-knocked myself around 5000 houses,” he said.

“I believe the way you campaign is a reflection of the way you represent. they want to know that you work hard for them.

“The number one issue, consistently, is cost of living, it’s housing, telecommunications, roads, keep the sheep, those are the issues. People are worried they can’t put food on the table.”

The Coalition campaign has backed two horses, with Nationals candidate Mia Davies turning the battle for Bullwinkel into a three-way contest.

But Mr Moran denied the former State Opposition Leader has stolen his thunder.

“I’ve just focused on my own campaign and whatever the other parties do that’s up to them,” he said.

“I’m focusing on my electorate, my community and how I can help my community.”

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