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Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, secured a second term after the Labour party won the federal elections on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
Pacific youth across Australia are reportedly heartened by the result after weeks of voter awareness campaigns for Pacific communities but will continue to hold the Albanese government accountable to their promises.
For instance, Jacynta Fa’amau, 350.org Pacific Campaigner, is of the view that Pacific communities voted on issues that matter to them, issues that align with their values.
“Young Pacific Islanders living in Australia know that the cost-of-living crisis is connected to the climate crisis and we deserve to have a future free of both,” Fa’amau stated, adding that the result is an indication that Australia isn’t falling prey to the divisive politics of the far right, “but there is still work to be done. Labour has made climate promises in the past and we intend to hold them accountable to these”.
According to Fa’amau, the returned Albanese government will aim for clean energy to provide more than 80% of power by 2030.
“While this election means Australia voted for renewable energy over dangerous nuclear tactics, we will continue to push the new government to take real action to phase out fossil fuel production. This starts by ending the approval of new coal and gas projects.
“This country remains one of the world’s largest exporters of coal and gas, and this is Australia’s biggest contribution to the devastation of our island homes. The plans for renewable energy are encouraging, but Australian climate policy will still be grossly inadequate without phasing out fossil fuel production,” added Fa’amau.
