The first Muslim ministers in Australian history will be sworn into the ministry on Wednesday, two of several appointments in the new government that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says “will be as inclusive as Australia itself”. Ed Husic will be sworn into cabinet as Industry and Science Minister, while Anne Aly picks up the Early Childhood Education and Youth portfolios, making them …

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese looks set to form a majority Labor government. The ABC election computer is projecting that Labor will hold at least 76 seats — the minimum required to form a majority government. The ABC projects Labor will secure the Melbourne seat of Macnamara with MP Josh Burns being re-elected. Mr Burns defeated Liberal Party candidate Colleen Harkin …

Pacific Island countries have agreed not to sign a region-wide trade and security deal with China after a high-level meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his counterparts from 10 Pacific nations in Fiji. China was seeking a wide-ranging deal that covered free trade, police cooperation and disaster resilience. Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said Pacific nations were united in their approach after the decision …

The White House has issued a statement after US President Joe Biden called Anthony Albanese to congratulate him on his Australian election victory and underline the strength of their countries’ alliance. “President Biden reaffirmed the United States’ steadfast commitment to the US-Australia alliance and his intent to work closely with the new government to make it stronger still,” the statement issued …

Scott Morrison said at the beginning of this seemingly never-ending election campaign that Australia faced a choice and not a referendum. This was the ever-impatient Morrison trying to shape the narrative. The either/or alternative of how election contests pan out are well known with an incumbent wanting a choice for the future against a referendum on the past which they …

Anthony Albanese is set to become Australia’s 31st prime minister after Scott Morrison conceded defeat at the federal election. As vote counting continued, Labor was leading in 71 seats, to the Liberal-National coalition’s 52, according to Australian Electoral Commission figures. The crossbench will be at least 13-strong. “The Australian people have voted for change. I am humbled by this victory and …

The conservation status of koalas has been downgraded to endangered with the NSW government acknowledging the beloved furry marsupial is at risk of becoming extinct. The status of koalas was changed to endangered on Friday following a final determination from the NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee, which noted habitat loss had significantly affected lessened populations. In the last two decades …

Neither major party was expecting Scott Morrison to return as Prime Minister as the last day of campaigning revealed two different views about how today’s election will be won and lost. Coalition sources were predicting on election eve that the government would likely fall short of the 76 seats needed for a majority. Labor sources said polling suggested they could …

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has hit out at some political journalists and their coverage of the election campaign, saying it was putting some Australians off politics. On the eve of a closely fought federal election, the Labor leader described some of the media pack’s behaviour and coverage over the past six weeks as “nonsense”. Mr Albanese created headlines at the …

There has been a repetitive flavour to Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s final week of campaigning: Visits to housing developments followed by tea and biscuits with retirees, as he attempts to hammer home his message to opposite ends of the age spectrum. The final week of a campaign is traditionally the most crucial on the political calendar, with party leaders jet-setting …