Victorian Labor was bracing for a federal backlash – now Jacinta Allan sees vindication

Despite relentless commentary about the premier’s unpopularity, the state swung even harder to Labor than in 2022, while the Liberal party blame game has begun

• Election 2025 results LIVE: Australia votes tracker and federal seat counts
• See our full coverage of the Australian election
• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

If anyone is as happy as Anthony Albanese right now, it’s Jacinta Allan.

As the federal election results rolled in on Saturday night, one of the biggest surprises came in Victoria – where Labor defied months of grim predictions to strengthen its grip on the state.

Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter