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

“We didn’t do well enough during this campaign. That much is obvious tonight.

“I accept full responsibility for that.

“Earlier on I called the Prime Minister to congratulate him on his success tonight.

“It’s an historic occasion for the Labor Party and we recognise that.

“I congratulated the Prime Minister and wished he, Jodie and Nathan the best. I said to the Prime Minister his mum would be incredibly proud of his achievement. And he should be very proud of what he has achieved.”

“Well, tonight’s not the night that we wanted for the Liberal Party or for our Coalition or, indeed, for our country.

“But we worked hard every day over the course of the last three years to do our best for our amazing country.

One of the great honours of being the leader of this party is we have met people from every side, every corner, the length and breadth of this country. And there are many amazing stories. People who have sacrificed, people who are doing it hard at the moment and I’ve always wanted in public life the best for our country and the best for everyone.”

The last major question of the night - would Labor win a majority in its own right has been answered.

7NEWS projects Anthony Albanese and Labor will have at least 77 seats and govern without the need for support from crossbenchers or the Greens.

Barnaby Joyce has defended Peter Dutton after his shock defeat in Dickson.

“It’s always been a highly marginal seat, one of the most marginal in Australia its been incredibly tough,” he said.

“Peter, if this is the end of it, has served his nation with absolute distinction over a long period of time, in the most senior of portfolios for which the nation is a better place by reason of his service.”

Speaking on Dutton’s loss of his seat and leadership of his party, LNP Senator for Queensland James McGrath is refusing to accept the call and is “still waiting for the figures to come in”.

“Dickson is a tough seat… we need to get the pre-poll figures,” Mr McGrath said on ABC.

“But it’s not a great night for the party, I will admit that.”

Jim Chalmers also commented on Dutton’s loss, calling his position on nuclear an “egregious error”.

“There are foundational issues here… and Peter Dutton trailed away as the campaign wore on,” Dr Chalmers said.

The Prime Minister has left Kirribilli House with partner Jodie Haydon and long-time friend and ally Penny Wong. He will travel to Labor HQ to speak to party faithful on a good night for the Government.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said they should have “gone harder” to hold Labor to account.

“Apparently, all you have to do is lie to the Australian people, and that’s an effective enough campaign to maintain government,” she told Sky News.

“It was a big ask to unseat a Prime Minister after his first term.”

Labor has picked up two seats won by the Greens in 2022 in Queesland, with Renee Coffey unseating Max Chandler-Mather.

Speaking on Albanese’s leadership, Jim Chalmers said he expects the Prime Minister to serve a full term - and run again.

“I think we make an effective cabinet… that is a deliberate choice made my Anthony Albanese,” he said on ABC.

“I expect him to go the whole way and run again, and that would be a good thing.”

He is the first Labor leader to secure consecutive electoral wins since 2004.

The first numbers are flowing through in Bullwinkel, with Labor candidate Trish Cook winning 30 per cent of first preferences so far.

The Liberal Party and Nationals are duking it out for second, with Liberal candidate Matt Moran just in front with less than one per cent of the vote counted.

Bullwinkel is a new seat in WA and was hotly contested, with the Coalition vote split between Mr Moran and star Nationals recruit Mia Davies - a former State Opposition Leader.