Election 2022 LIVE updates: Anthony Albanese to be next Prime Minister
12.09AM – This live blog has now finished. There will be no further updates.
11.50PM – Anthony Albanese gives his victory speech
Anthony Albanese says he’s honoured and humbled to become the 31st prime minister of Australia.
“Tonight the Australian people have voted for change,” he said.
“It says a lot about our great country that the son of a single mum who was a disability pensioner, who grew up in public housing down in Camperdown, can stand before you tonight as Australia’s Prime Minister.”
10.51PM – Scott Morrison has conceded defeat
He said “it’s a difficult night for Liberals and Nationals around the country”.
BREAKING | Scott Morrison concedes defeat, announces he’ll resign as party leader
10.10PM – Josh Frydenberg all but concedes
He says “while it’s mathematically possible we win in Kooyong, it’s very difficult”.
Josh Frydenberg admits it’ll be ‘very difficult’ for him to win in Kooyong
9.27PM: 9News calls a Labor win
The big question now is whether Labor can form a majority government.
#BREAKING: 9News predicts that Labor will form government in the 2022 Federal Election.
DETAILS: https://t.co/ZyqpsBRGda#AusVotes | LIVE on Channel 9 pic.twitter.com/XHsL4sBPjR
— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) May 21, 2022
8.45PM: How key Victorian seats are tracking
Political guru Dr Ben Wellings on how things are tracking in key Victorian seats:
Higgins: “They’re [coalition] down 7.3 per cent”.
Goldstein: “This at the moment – 13.8 per cent swing against the sitting Liberal member (Tim Wilson) and in favour of the independent (Zoe Daniel).
Kooyong: “Josh (Frydenberg) is down 9.5 per cent”.
Corangamite: “This was a 1 per cent Labor gain from the last election, but it’s swinging 7.9 per cent to Labor.”
Deakin: “It’s a 5.2 per cent swing to Labor.
Press PLAY below to hear how things are tracking in key Victorian seats
8.39PM: What a political guru expects will be the ‘story of the election’
Political guru Dr Ben Wellings says the “dealignment” from the two major parties is going to be the story of the election.
“We’re not in a situation where you vote the way your parents did, or your party is like your football team and you just support them.”
8.20PM – Official Liberal function in Sydney sparse, but ‘no one is crying into their beers’ yet
The crowd at the official Labor Party election event in Sydney is much larger than that at the Liberal function.
But Nine Radio reporter Clinton Maynard says “no one is crying into their beers” at the Liberal function in Sydney yet.
Big crowd here at the Labor Party election event in Sydney as early results begin rolling in. @2GB873 @3AW693 @NewsTalk4BC @6PR pic.twitter.com/OEh43POXoS
— Lucy Gray (@LucyPGray) May 21, 2022
Liberal Party function in Sydney. Still a fairly small crowd. Mood is ok, they aren’t crying or dancing. @2GB873 pic.twitter.com/orlehLqeFJ
— Clinton Maynard (@ClintMaynard2GB) May 21, 2022
7.56pm – Peter Dutton ‘in strife’ as early numbers indicate six per cent swing for ALP
The Defence Minister is in troubled waters as the numbers roll in, showing an early lead for ALP rival Ali France.
Dickson is one of five seats Anthony Albanese has hoped to secure in Queensland.
6.55PM – Barnaby Joyce thinks Australians are in for a surprise
National leader Barnaby Joyce says he thinks “people are going to be surprised” by the election result tonight.
“I think you’ll find this is not going to go the way the polls said.”
Barnaby Joyce thinks Australians are ‘going to be surprised’ tonight
6.40PM – Why we could be in for a long wait before we have an election result
It’s possible we won’t get an election result for 13 DAYS.
A staggering 2.7 million postal vote applications have been made and Victorian state manager for the Australian Electoral Commission, Nye Coffee, says it could be a long wait before we have a result if the election is very close.
6PM – Polls close
The polls have now closed in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Tasmania, meaning the count can soon begin for a raft of seats.
Image: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images