Australian Federal election results and live updates: Penny Wong grilled on cabinet future in awkward exchange

Deputy Nationals leader Perin Davey, who was poised to lose her Senate seat to Labor this morning, has taken aim at her Liberal colleagues.

Senator Davey, who has held her seat since 2019, put her probable loss down to running on a joint Senate ticket with the Liberals.

“It’s not based on a loss in the National Party vote,” she told the ABC.

“My loss will be based entirely on people not wanting to vote for the Liberals because of our agreement with the Liberals that on this cycle the Nationals position falls to the third spot on the Senate ticket, which is the most at-risk spot.”

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Ryan Stokes, chief executive of industrial supplier SGH, said he was confident on the outlook for China, and said the country would be able to navigate trade issues.

Speaking on the sidelines of a Macquarie Bank investor conference, Mr Stokes said he expected Chinese stimulus to help prop up demand for Australian minerals.

“We think that’s going to be strong for iron ore, strong for coal, strong for gas, strong for those primary resources, critical minerals, (and) gold.

SGH is heavily leveraged to mine production via its Westrac machinery arm and Coates hire firm.

The company is also positioned for any upswing in residential housing and infrastrture investment and Mr Stokes was confident the firm would enjoy the benefits of Labor’s spending packages. He also expected to see a significant uptick in defence related projects.

“We’ve looked at that infrastructure construction outlook as a key part of the economy long term,” he said.

I think what we’re going to see a shift in focus around more defence and self sufficiency in defence.

“And I think overall, how we can actually deal with bigger cities, because this is going to be an issue. Perth the fastest growing kind of city at the moment, and you’re going to find most of concern around growth will come down to how people feel about the traffic and the like.”

Mr Stokes said that Labor should be using its expanded mandate to drive a stronger reform agenda, particulary with wage growth likely to hit 3 per cent per annum according to Treasury forecasts.

“We don’t have enough focus around how we drive productivity,” he said.

“We’ve got to look at how we’re getting more productive, how we adopt the right technologies that ultimately can can drive better growth through the economy, which which private sector is going to have to do.”

He called on the government to avoid meddling in the gas market.

“This is a supply issue. Putting policies that put uncertainty on investment in supply is counterproductive. Oil and gas sector is a high risk investment. So if you want to encourage that, policy certainty, encouragement around freeing up gas, and getting that gas resource to market is a key factor, and we need to look at that in a more holistic solution,” he said.

Labor’s frontbench big hitters will remain in their positions as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prepares his Government for a second term, the Foreign Minister has confirmed.

Asked on breakfast television if she would stay in the foreign affairs portfolio, she said, “I want to and the Prime Minister’s indicated that me and Richard (Marles), Don Farrell, Katy (Gallagher) and Jim (Chalmers) will stay where we are.”

Ms Wong confirmed she would stay for the full term, amid earlier speculation the long-term Senator, who has been in in the upper house since 2001, may retire.

“Yes, I will, and in fact, you know, the size of this victory and the prospect of a third term labor government, it looks pretty good,” she said.

Pressed on whether the Prime Minister would also stay a full term in the job, she queried the question.

“I think that’s a funny thing to ask.”

Counting is ongoing in the Greens leader’s seat, but here’s where it stands right now:

Newswire reports that the Foreign Minister unleashed on Greens leader Adam Bandt on a breakfast television appearance.

She said the election results showed the Australian public “rejected the politics of conflict and … grievance”.

“Unfortunately, Adam Bandt, you know, in some ways is quite like Peter Dutton,” she said.

“It’s the same conflict. It’s the same … frankly, sometimes quite aggressive and the same politics of protest and grievance.

“I think Australians have comprehensively rejected that.”

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The Coalition has lost “middle Australia,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said.

“On current numbers, the Coalition are down to seven out of 88 seats in metropolitan areas. Know what that says? That says that in the cities and suburbs, the coalition does not represent middle Australia,” she told ABC Radio National Breakfast.

“It doesn’t represent the hopes, aspirations and struggles of people, of Australians and their families living in our cities and suburbs. That really was a profound message from the electorate.”

Asked how Labor would guard against hubris with such an emphatic majority, she said the party would never take Australians for granted.

“I think when the prime minister talks about humility, about recognising the weight of responsibility that that is what we have, the sense we have across our caucus.”

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has dismissed the suggestion that the Coalition’s nuclear policy is dead and buried after the party’s election loss.

“I think we’ve got to solve the long-term energy problem. I’ve been a strong supporter of nuclear being part of our energy mix,” she said.

“Going forward, for a long time, by 2027, we’re going to have nuclear subs docking in Perth, along with up to 9000 Americans living in and amongst us. So we do need to address the issue, not just to 2050 but to stay an industrialised nation,” she said.

The Senator would not be drawn on speculation about a future Coalition frontbench, but she expected Nationals leader David Littleproud to be re-elected as Nationals leader.

“I haven’t heard of any other contenders, but as usual in the Nationals party, we’re hyper democratic, and anything can happen.”

The Liberal-Nationals Coalition will need a “deep, honest and brutal examination” of what went wrong in the Federal election campaign, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has admitted.

The Senator told ABC Radio National Breakfast there was “no one issue” for the catastrophic loss, adding, “let’s give credit where credit’s due, the Labor Party ran a superior campaign.”

She also downplayed the suggestion that Trumpian policies could have contributed to the wipeout, arguing that the global shocks created by the US President benefited incumbent governments.

“Australians saw their super balances shatter overnight and a lot of global uncertainty, which doesn’t favour oppositions,” she said.

“I think it’s also very important to make clear that Donald Trump isn’t a conservative. He is literally ripping down institutions in a reaction to a political class in America, which is very different to the political class here in Australia.”

But she said that policies like the plan to cut 41,000 public service jobs and lean into DOGE-style and DEI tactics would be wrapped into “a comprehensive, deep and brutally honest review.”

The Nationals Party did well because of a “focus on localism and on putting policies forward that our communities support and want to see delivered,” said Ms McKenzie.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the Albanese Government will be “working together” with the Trump Administration after US President Donald Trump announced a new movie tariff.

“We all know how many films we see, made in Australia, made between Australia and American filmmakers,” Wong told Sunrise.

“We know how many Australian actors are beloved by American audiences.

“We obviously will be presenting our view about this to the US administration. I do welcome the fact that the President has indicated he’s going to engage with the studios about it.

“We want to be able to see films where you get both Aussie actors and American studios working together.”

Senator Wong highlighted recent joint ventures like The Fall Guy and Elvis, adding that the Government will engage “not just for the economic opportunity” but also because “it’s a good thing for us to be working together on films and entertainment”.