Anthony Albanese has defied the ‘incumbency curse’, securing a historic landslide re-election for Australia’s Labour Party. At the start of the year polls had put Albanese's popularity at record lows, but he led a disciplined campaign focused on cost-of-living concerns, healthcare, housing, and reconciliation with Indigenous Australians. Voters rejected the opposition’s Trump-style campaign led by Peter Dutton, who lost his own seat amid policy missteps and failed attempts to rebrand. With Labour projected to gain 86 seats, and the conservative Liberal-National Coalition reduced to around 40, Albanese becomes the first Australian leader in over twenty years to win back-to-back elections. He now faces pressure to act boldly on climate change, Indigenous reconciliation, and economic reform. International leaders welcomed the result, but there are now questions about whether Labour will now use its strong mandate to pursue lasting change. The campaign’s tone and outcome suggest Australians have chosen stability over polarising rhetoric and disruption.