The federal election results overwhelmingly showed that 2022 was, after years of inaction, the climate and integrity election.
Now he is in power, Anthony Albanese will need to prove to the nation that he is more than just, not Scott Morrison.
"I want to change the country. I want to change the way politics works in this country," he has said since Saturday night.
We will keep a close eye on the promises made by the Labor Party for our region and put as much pressure as we can on them to deliver.
Labor must do as they said when campaigning and govern for all Australians, even those who did not vote for them.
We believe they will because that's what Australians voted for. Labor has been in opposition long enough to know what good and bad government looks like.
The public overwhelmingly voted against the Liberals smart-arse political tactics, pork-barreling, lies, lack of climate action, buck-passing and low integrity. Australians voted for the opposite of all those things.
They have called for our political representatives to take the job of government and opposition seriously.
I know it won't be a popular thing to say in this region, but there was a noticeable swing to the Greens, proving environmental factors like climate change are important to voters.
Of course, the 'teal' independent candidates running on climate change and integrity also made spectacular gains. The independent's clarion call for integrity, in concert with Labor's, cannot be ignored now the dust has settled and the results are known.
It is the end of the Morrison government in an election resulting in the Liberal Party being decimated and shattered.
Formerly safe Coalition seats are now marginal seats and there have been gains made in places where Labor would never have dreamed.
Simply put, the Liberals and Nationals lacked integrity. Its members laughed about it and, helped by support from many media outlets, were emboldened to stick the middle finger up to anyone who challenged them. They've received an emphatic response.
Let's hope they listen and a few terms in opposition make them realise what a responsibility it is to govern, so when they do eventually return to the government benches, they are more humble and ethical about it. It is clearly what voters want.
Craig Thomson
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
