Prime Minister Scott Morrison defies polls to secure ‘miracle’ win

World Today

A shock victory in Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defied election predictions to retain his job. For months, polls had put his Liberal Party behind Labor’s Bill Shorten. Vote counting continues into next week to determine if Morrison’s party will have a majority in Parliament. From Sydney, CGTN’s Greg Navarro reports.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison could not stop smiling as he walked across the stage in a Sydney hotel with his family by his side to claim victory in an election that many said he could not win.

“I have always believed in miracles, I’m standing here with three of the biggest miracles in my life and tonight, we have been delivered another one,” Morrison said. “How good is Australia and how good is Australians?”

The victory for Morrison comes just eight months after he wrestled his party’s leadership from former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.  The conservative leader defied many polls that had him trailing Australian Opposition leader Bill Shorten for most of the five week campaign.

“Tonight is not about me or it’s not about even the Liberal party,” Morisson said. “Tonight is about every single Australian who depends on their government to put them first.”

Labor Leader Bill Shorten started the day with the confidence of a predicted win. But after realising that his Labor Party would not have enough votes to form a government, he conceded the election, and address a room of shocked supporters.

“I know you are hurting, I am hurting too,” Shorten said.

After leading his party for six years, Shorten also announced that he was stepping down.

“Whilst I intend to continue to serve as the member for Maribyrnong, I will not be a candidate in the next Labor leadership ballot,” he said.

There was a fairly big casualty for the Liberal Party too. Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott lost his seat in Parliament. Abbott was Prime Minister during the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement.”

While Scott Morrison clearly savored the victory, he also had an eye on the job ahead.

“We’ve got work to do, and we are gonna get back to work for the Australians that we know you work every day. You face these struggles and chores every day,” Morrison said.