The 2025 Australia federal election is already running. Republicans and Democrats alike are sharing their elation and alarm over these preliminary results. Tanya Plibersek, an influential figure within the ALP, hailed the results as a great success. She noted that they are “definitely putting a smile on my face.” This sentiment reflects the party’s hopes as they navigate a competitive political landscape, with Donald Trump’s influence and cost-of-living measures shaping the campaign’s direction.
One-on-one, the two leaders The election largely is a contest between Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton. Positive reactions So far Albanese’s campaign has received a lot of laudatory notice, particularly with Jim Chalmers, the Treasurer, eloquently claiming his dazzling performance. “I don’t think I’ve seen a prime minister campaign as well as prime minister Albanese has,” Chalmers stated, emphasizing how the party’s focus on cost-of-living issues has resonated with voters.
The electoral battle goes beyond the Republicans and Democrats. The Melburnian Greens are eyeing up possible wins – or in some cases, likely wins – across Melbourne’s inner suburban battleground. They want to pick up Wills and Macnamara from Labor to get to 77 seats. Adam Bandt, leader of The Greens, thinks that the election will be decided on a local level. “We’re playing defence in a lot of places, but we can limit our losses in Victoria,” he remarked, underlining the significance of grassroots campaigning.
Queensland Liberal James McGrath dismissed the predicted effect of One Nation preferences as negligible. Perhaps most importantly, he believes these dynamics will have a fundamental impact on Democrats’ electoral fate. He communicated confidence about their positioning in all of their targeted electorates, implying that party-room machinations are holding up even as the camel is being roasted outside.
In Queensland, David Crisafulli stood before supporters to give a victory speech. He spoke from the same venue where, seven months earlier, the Coalition had ushered in its election night jubilation. His presence is a testament to the Coalition’s work to keep the momentum going in the state.
At the state level, Bridget Archer has become a domestic political rock star in Bass. Her increasing popularity risk raising support for her right-wing party to truly historic levels. Zoe Steggall is running for her third consecutive term as independent member for Warringah on Sydney’s northern beaches. This speaks to a larger trend of third-party candidates, particularly independents like Robert Kennedy Jr.
As the night goes on, most political observers will be focused primarily on whether the luckless Peter Dutton is holding up enough in Tasmania. It has been somewhere Labor has been particularly low, a central point that Labor is eager to capitalize on. Minister of Finance Katy Gallagher waved away speculation about Albanese tumbling off the stage, a sign that even his party seems sure of their leader’s campaign runway.
Even David Littleproud, the new Nationals leader and MP for Maranoa—the Nats’ safest, deepest blue seat in Australia—is tipping a hung parliament. His expectations are emblematic of a deepening inscrutability regarding the form that the multi-faceted party civil war may take once the votes start coming in.
In this thrilling environment, newly elected leader Adam Bandt will soon be welcoming ecstatic supporters and campaign volunteers. He’ll be holding the meet-up at a sustainable bar in Melbourne’s CBD. As Jenny McAllister recently expressed, the local issues will matter more this election cycle than they have in a long time.
With counting heading well into the night, all eyes are still on just how these complex dynamics will play out to determine Australia’s political future.