Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wins a second 3-year term

Share and Follow

Anthony Albanese claimed victory as the first Australian prime minister to clinch a second consecutive term in 21 years on Saturday and suggested his government had increased its majority by not modeling itself on U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

“Australians have chosen to face global challenges the Australian way, looking after each other while building for the future,” Albanese told supporters in a victory speech in Sydney.

Price told reporters at the time she didn’t recall using the words reminiscent of the Republicans’ “Make America Great Again” slogan.

Price, who said she was photographed wearing a MAGA cap “in jest at Christmas time,” on Saturday blamed the news media for focusing on Trump in the election campaign.

“You made it all about Donald Trump,” Price told Australian Broadcasting Corp. “We really couldn’t care less about the way Donald Trump is governing for America. We were concerned with the way Australia is being governed under an Albanese government.”

The election took place against a backdrop of what both sides of politics describe as a cost of living crisis.

Foodbank Australia, the nation’s largest food relief charity, reported 3.4 million households in the country of 27 million people experienced food insecurity last year. That meant Australians were skipping meals, eating less or worrying about running out of food before they could afford to buy more.

The central bank reduced its benchmark cash interest rate by a quarter percentage point in February to 4.1% in an indication that the worst of the financial hardship had passed. The rate is widely expected to be cut again at the bank’s next board meeting on May 20, this time to encourage investment amid the international economic uncertainty generated by Trump’s tariff policies.