Australian Progressives Hail ‘Greenslide’ Amid Big Left Wins and Morrison’s Ouster

Amid the aromatic sizzle of traditional Election Day "democracy sausages," Australians ended nine years of right-wing rule in Saturday's compulsory federal vote, with climate campaigners and progressives around the world cheering what many called a "greenslide" as the left-wing Greens enjoyed unprecedented ballot box success.

April 1, 2023 | Source: Common Dreams | by Brett Wilkins

Amid the aromatic sizzle of traditional Election Day “democracy sausages,” Australians ended nine years of right-wing rule in Saturday’s compulsory federal vote, with climate campaigners and progressives around the world cheering what many called a “greenslide” as the left-wing Greens enjoyed unprecedented ballot box success.

Liberal Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceded defeat late Saturday night to Labor leader Anthony Albanese, a career politician who called himself the first candidate with a “non-Anglo-Celtic name” to ever run for the nation’s highest office.

Albanese delivered a victory speech in which he first committed to the Uluru Statement From the Heart—a pro-Indigenous declaration—before vowing to “seek our common purpose and promote unity and not fear.”

In stark contrast to the administration of fossil fuel champion Morrison, Albanese said that “together we can end the climate wars. Together we can take advantage of the opportunity for Australia to be a renewable energy superpower.”