The China Mail - PM-elect vows to repair Australia's image overseas

USD -
AED 3.67301
AFN 71.021929
ALL 86.757891
AMD 388.845938
ANG 1.80229
AOA 916.000148
ARS 1165.000022
AUD 1.559315
AWG 1.8025
AZN 1.70406
BAM 1.718274
BBD 2.002838
BDT 121.45998
BGN 1.72222
BHD 0.376957
BIF 2973.111879
BMD 1
BND 1.309923
BOB 6.907155
BRL 5.619799
BSD 0.999627
BTN 85.145488
BWP 13.647565
BYN 3.271381
BYR 19600
BZD 2.008021
CAD 1.382775
CDF 2877.999765
CHF 0.824198
CLF 0.024644
CLP 945.690142
CNY 7.269496
CNH 7.2656
COP 4197
CRC 505.357119
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 96.873243
CZK 21.90485
DJF 178.012449
DKK 6.56135
DOP 58.908545
DZD 132.288977
EGP 50.801298
ERN 15
ETB 133.81045
EUR 0.87892
FJD 2.256403
FKP 0.746656
GBP 0.74686
GEL 2.745039
GGP 0.746656
GHS 14.294876
GIP 0.746656
GMD 71.492633
GNF 8658.065706
GTQ 7.698728
GYD 209.76244
HKD 7.75695
HNL 25.941268
HRK 6.620396
HTG 130.799
HUF 355.319478
IDR 16646.9
ILS 3.62904
IMP 0.746656
INR 85.090398
IQD 1309.571398
IRR 42100.000211
ISK 128.410025
JEP 0.746656
JMD 158.35182
JOD 0.7092
JPY 142.663004
KES 129.349896
KGS 87.450261
KHR 4001.774662
KMF 432.250121
KPW 900.101764
KRW 1422.724972
KWD 0.30632
KYD 0.833044
KZT 511.344318
LAK 21622.072771
LBP 89567.707899
LKR 299.446072
LRD 199.931473
LSL 18.549157
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 5.468994
MAD 9.272737
MDL 17.203829
MGA 4511.41031
MKD 54.061297
MMK 2099.785163
MNT 3572.381038
MOP 7.98763
MRU 39.575655
MUR 45.229907
MVR 15.400483
MWK 1733.40069
MXN 19.553103
MYR 4.310956
MZN 64.01011
NAD 18.549157
NGN 1601.519845
NIO 36.785022
NOK 10.359235
NPR 136.237321
NZD 1.68312
OMR 0.384995
PAB 0.999613
PEN 3.664973
PGK 4.141482
PHP 55.858498
PKR 280.826287
PLN 3.75155
PYG 8005.376746
QAR 3.644223
RON 4.374502
RSD 102.966435
RUB 82.000422
RWF 1428.979332
SAR 3.751033
SBD 8.361298
SCR 14.651979
SDG 600.501985
SEK 9.643735
SGD 1.305825
SHP 0.785843
SLE 22.75021
SLL 20969.483762
SOS 571.328164
SRD 36.849418
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.746876
SYP 13001.961096
SZL 18.542907
THB 33.321501
TJS 10.555936
TMT 3.51
TND 2.990231
TOP 2.342102
TRY 38.501202
TTD 6.782431
TWD 31.975997
TZS 2685.000535
UAH 41.530014
UGX 3663.550745
UYU 42.090559
UZS 12943.724275
VES 86.54811
VND 26005
VUV 121.306988
WST 2.770092
XAF 576.298184
XAG 0.030422
XAU 0.000302
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.71673
XOF 576.29312
XPF 104.776254
YER 245.050187
ZAR 18.54398
ZMK 9001.200989
ZMW 27.965227
ZWL 321.999592
  • RIO

    0.0100

    60.88

    +0.02%

  • CMSD

    -0.1300

    22.35

    -0.58%

  • RBGPF

    -0.4500

    63

    -0.71%

  • JRI

    0.1300

    12.93

    +1.01%

  • NGG

    0.1900

    73.04

    +0.26%

  • BCC

    -0.8300

    94.5

    -0.88%

  • SCS

    0.1500

    10.01

    +1.5%

  • CMSC

    -0.0800

    22.24

    -0.36%

  • BCE

    0.1100

    21.92

    +0.5%

  • RYCEF

    -0.1300

    10.12

    -1.28%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    9.58

    +0.1%

  • BTI

    0.4700

    42.86

    +1.1%

  • RELX

    0.4300

    53.79

    +0.8%

  • GSK

    0.9100

    38.97

    +2.34%

  • AZN

    1.7800

    71.71

    +2.48%

  • BP

    -1.0600

    28.07

    -3.78%

PM-elect vows to repair Australia's image overseas
PM-elect vows to repair Australia's image overseas / Photo: © AFP

PM-elect vows to repair Australia's image overseas

Incoming prime minister Anthony Albanese vowed to reset Australia's relations with the world and sweep aside the country's reputation as a climate laggard Sunday, as he raced to form a government in time for a key Tokyo summit.

Text size:

Fresh from a victory that ended a decade of continuous conservative rule, Albanese signalled an era of fairer, greener and less pugilistic politics for Australia.

The 59-year-old Labor leader said Saturday's election was a "big moment" in his life, but insisted he wanted it to be "a big moment for the country."

"I do want to change the country," he said as he waited to see whether his Labor party can command a majority in parliament or will need help from climate-minded independents.

Images of smouldering eucalypt forests, smog-enveloped cities and blanched-out coral reefs have made Australia a byword for climate-fuelled destruction.

Under conservative leadership, the country -- already one of the world's largest gas and coal exporters -- has also become synonymous with playing the spoiler at international climate talks.

But Albanese put the world on notice that it should now expect a change.

He and key ministers are expected to be sworn in on Monday, just in time to attend a summit with Japanese, Indian and US leaders -- the so-called Quad.

"Obviously, the Quad leaders meeting is an absolute priority for Australia," Albanese said in his first post-election event Sunday. "It enables us to send a message to the world that there is a change of government.

"There will be some changes in policy, particularly with regard to climate change and our engagement with the world on those issues."

Albanese said he will also use the visit to Tokyo to have one-on-one meetings with US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I will return to Australia on Wednesday, and then we'll get down to business," he added.

Foreign leaders welcomed Albanese's election, most notably Australia's Pacific Island neighbours, whose very existence is threatened by rising sea levels.

"Of your many promises to support the Pacific, none is more welcome than your plan to put the climate first –– our people's shared future depends on it," said Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.

The issue had plagued Australia's relations with the region, where China is rapidly expanding its interests.

- Political earthquake -

Official results showed Labor leading in 74 seats -- almost within reach of the 76 required for a majority in the powerful 151-seat lower house. More than a dozen seats were still undecided.

For many Australians, the election was a referendum on polarising outgoing prime minister Scott Morrison.

His tumultuous tenure saw the country smashed by bushfires, droughts, floods and a pandemic, all of which shattered usually happy-go-lucky Australia's sense of security and their faith in government.

Morrison drew revulsion for playing down the impact of climate change on Australia's ever-worsening disasters and insisting "I don't hold a hose, mate" when asked to justify holidaying overseas during the bushfire crisis.

"Being in Hawaii when half the country is burning to the ground was probably not a wise decision," said Dean Bergin, a 32-year-old investment fund manager.

"Anyone with half a brain can see that. It's the opposite of leadership."

Voters responded at the ballot box with a sharp rebuke of his Liberal-National coalition -- ousting top ministers from parliament and virtually expelling the party from major cities.

"I am very, very happy," said Kathy Hopkins, a 60-year-old disability support worker in Sydney's beachside suburb of Clovelly, part of what was considered an ultra-safe conservative seat.

She said climate was a major concern. "It's pretty important, especially for younger people."

Local voters backed one of several independent women candidates, the so-called "teals" -- who ran on pro-environment, anti-corruption and pro-gender equality tickets.

Among the independents, Monique Ryan appeared to have taken the biggest scalp: she was projected to win in the Melbourne seat of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who has all but conceded his loss.

Ryan said she would make demands in return for her support if Labor falls short of a majority in parliament, notably to cut carbon emissions by at least 60 percent by 2030 and to create a federal anti-corruption watchdog with teeth within six months.

"I am really very much looking forward to working with him," she said in a television interview Sunday.

Albanese has vowed to end Australia's "climate wars", adopt more ambitious emissions targets, introduce a federal corruption watchdog and extend to indigenous people a constitutional right to be heard on national policy-making.

He also pledged to transform the country into a renewable energy "superpower".

But he has so far refused calls to phase out coal use, or to block the opening of new coal mines, mindful of the pro-coal and mining union factions of the Labor party.

- Election wipeout -

For Morrison's conservative allies the defeat is already spurring a battle for the soul of the party.

A leadership contest is informally underway, with moderates blaming the loss on a drift to the right.

Speaking at his Pentecostal church on Sunday, Morrison tearfully told the congregation his time in the top job had "been a very difficult walk".

"God calls us" to duty he said, pausing repeatedly to compose himself. "I'm pretty pleased that the last thing I say as PM is here."

The 54-year-old then pulled out his phone to conclude his speech with Bible verse.

"Do not rejoice over me, enemy of mine. Though I fall, I will rise. Though I live in darkness, the Lord is alive for me," he said.

D.Pan--ThChM