ABC-Labor To Secure Majority Gov't

ABC reporting that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's centre-left Australian Labor Party (ALP) will be able to govern as a majority after Labor member Josh Burns secured re-election in his Macnamara division in Melbourne, Victoria.

• Burns' win gives the ALP at least 76 seats in the 151-member House of Representatives, securing an overall majority with two divisions (Deakin, Victoria and Gilmore, NSW) still too close to call.
• The ABC reports that even with the securing of a majority, PM Albanese's gov't will seek the support of Greens, the 'teal independents' and other independents on the crossbenches to strengthen the passage of legislation through parliament.
• In the Senate, the ALP will have to rely on support from crossbench senators to secure a majority. The ALP holds 26 Senate seats. With 39 senators required for a majority it will require the support of the 12 Green senators as well as independent senator and former Australian rugby union captain David Pocock, who won one of the two ACT senate seats.
• It remains to be seen if Albanese's gov't continues to seek Green/teal/independent support in the House of Representatives once the actual process of policy making begins. These crossbenchers likely to seek much more aggressive action on climate change and taxation policy compared to many ALP members, especially those representing divisions with notable mining or agricultural interests.