'Beyond expectation' Albanese wins a historic second term

Labor prime minister pledges to represent national interest after stunning victory over opposition hampered by Trump comparisons

- Josh Butler and Sarah Basford Canales

Re-elected Australian Labor prime minister Anthony Albanese this week declared his job was to "represent Australia's national interest" and shrugged off questions on Donald Trump, following his conclusive win over an opposition that had sought - then failed to brush off - comparisons with the US president.

Trump cast a long shadow over the opposition's campaign, particularly after early policies including a "government efficiency" push and public service cuts proved unpopular. The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, who lost his own seat of Dickson, had intermittently flirted with Trump-style politics, as did the shadow minister, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, whose mid-campaign call to "make Australia great again" was seen as a decisive moment by some in the Labor government.

Albanese promised Labor would be "a disciplined, orderly government" in its second term. He said he had a "very warm" conversation with Donald Trump about tariffs and Aukus, foreshadowing a coming meeting with the US president after Labor's election win. Trump was asked earlier on Monday about the Australian election at the White House. He said, "I'm very friendly with" Albanese, but distanced himself from Dutton, saying: "I have no idea who the other person is that ran against [Albanese]."

The prime minister said he had spoken to a series of world leaders. "My job here is to represent Australia's national interest and that's what I'll be doing, and the first thing I'll be doing is going to Canberra," he said.