Australia's Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese was sworn in as the country's 31st prime minister on Monday, promising to bring the country together after a fractious election campaign as he vowed to tackle climate change and inequality.
Labor returned to power after nine years in opposition as a wave of unprecedented support for the Greens and climate-focused independents, mostly women, helped to unseat the conservative coalition in Saturday's general election.
"I look forward to leading a government that makes Australians proud, a government that doesn't seek to divide, that doesn't seek to have wedges but seeks to bring people together," Mr Albanese said during his first media briefing as prime minister.
Although votes are still being counted and the make-up of government has yet to be finalised, Mr Albanese was sworn in by Governor General David Hurley at a ceremony in the national capital, Canberra, so he could attend a meeting of the "Quad" security grouping in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The US, Japan and India are the other members of the Quad, an informal group that Washington has been promoting to work as a potential bulwark against China's increasing political, commercial and military activity in the Indo-Pacific.
Mr Albanese said the country's relationship with China would remain "a difficult one" before the summit with US President Joe Biden and the prime ministers of Japan and India.
His foreign minister, Penny Wong, who was sworn in along with Jim Chalmers as treasurer and Katy Gallagher as finance minister, will accompany Mr Albanese to the summit.
Labor's campaign focused on Mr Albanese's working-class credentials as a boy raised in public housing by a single mother on a disability pension, and on his image as a pragmatic unifier.
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Australia's Prime Minister-elect Anthony Albanese signs a poster for a young boy as he shares a coffee near his home in Sydney. The Labor leader will be sworn in as Australia's 31st prime minister on Monday following his victory over Scott Morrison in the federal election. Getty Images -
Mr Albanese holds his dog Toto near his home in Sydney. His victory in Australia's national election will end almost a decade of conservative rule, but Labor may need support from pro-environment independents to close the door on Mr Morrison's Liberal-National coalition. Getty Images -
Mr Albanese's Labor is four seats short of the 76 needed for an outright majority in the 151 lower house. Final results could take time as the counting of a record number of postal votes is completed. Getty Images -
Mr Albanese, speaking as he headed to celebrations, said he wanted to unite the country and “end the climate wars”. Getty Images -
Mr Albanese (centre) meets with Labor candidate for Reid, Sally Sitou (right), and supporters after winning the general election at Marrickville Library and Pavilion in Sydney. AFP -
Supporters celebrate during the Labor Party election night event at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club in Sydney. Labor is four seats short of the 76 needed for an outright majority in the 151 lower house. Getty Images -
Mr Albanese speaks to supporters at the Federal Labor reception at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club in Sydney. More than 17 million Australians have voted to elect the next federal government. EPA -
Labor Party supporters react as results come in during the 2022 federal election, at the Federal Labor reception at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club in Sydney. With 60 per cent of the vote counted, Labor had 72 seats and Mr Morrison's coalition 55. EPA -
Mr Albanese (CL) is joined on stage by Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong (L), his partner Jodie Haydon (CR) and son Nathan after winning the election. EPA
The centre-left party was leading in 76 seats in the 151-seat lower house, with a few races too close to call, according to the Australian Electoral Commission. Independents or Green party candidates looked set to win more than a dozen seats as counting of postal votes continued.
So-called "teal independents" campaigning in affluent, Liberal-held seats on a platform of climate, integrity and equality, could yet hold significant sway.
Independent Monique Ryan said climate was the most important issue to constituents in her seat of Kooyong in Melbourne, which outgoing treasurer Josh Frydenberg formally conceded on Monday.
"We listened to what people wanted, we listened to their values and their desires, and we put together a platform that reflected those," Ms Ryan said.
Mr Albanese said he hoped Labor would win enough seats to govern on their own. However, he added that he had struck deals with some independents for them not to support no-confidence motions against his government.
Mr Albanese said he would act swiftly to fulfil his election promises after his return from Japan, including setting up a national anti-corruption commission and a A$15 billion ($10.6bn) manufacturing fund to diversify Australia's economy.
The swearing-in of his full cabinet will be held on June 1, he said.
