Australia’s leader of Opposition party Labor Party Bill Shorten on Saturday conceded defeat in the country’s federal election, paving the way for Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s centre-right coalition, reports said.
The Australian Electoral Commission said the Liberal-National Coalition has won or is ahead in 70% of the votes that have been counted.
Meanwhile, Morrison thanked voters for re-electing his government. “I have always believed in miracles,” he said, according to The Straits Times. “Tonight is not about me... Tonight is about every single Australian who depends on their government to put them first.”
The developments counter the pre-election polls that forecast centre-left Labor would win, Reuters reported. “At the moment, it’s looking very strongly like the Morrison government will be returned,” said Australian Broadcasting Association chief election analyst Antony Green. “We’re just not sure in what position it will be returned,” he said.
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