SYDNEY — The leader of Australia’s opposition Liberal-National coalition conceded defeat on Saturday, suffering a resounding loss in a federal election dominated by cost-of-living concerns and the shadow cast by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Coalition leader Peter Dutton, who also lost his own seat of Dixon, in the state of Queensland, said he took “full responsibility” for the poor showing, with the incumbent Labor Party on track to extend its majority in parliament. “We didn’t do well enough during this campaign, that much is obvious,” Dutton said at a gathering in Queensland. “Earlier on, I called the prime minister to congratulate him on his success tonight. It’s a historic occasion for the Labor Party.”
