Australia's conservative PM concedes election defeat

• 

After a "difficult night" for his conservative government, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceded defeat in national elections on Saturday.

"Tonight I have spoken to the leader of the opposition and the incoming prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and I have congratulated him on his election victory," Morrison said. 

The outgoing leader, 54, acknowledged that voter support for main parties had declined throughout the election.

"I think about the upheaval that is taking place in our nation, and I think it is important for our nation to heal and to move forward," he said.      

Morrison's voice cracked with emotion as he thanked his wife Jennifer and his daughters, "the loves of my life".      

"I have no doubt under strong leadership of our coalition, three years from now I am looking forward to the return of a coalition government."   

Earlier today, The frontrunner in the Australian elections, Anthony Albanese, said that after a decade of rule by conservatives, his center-left party should be allowed a "crack" at running the country by voters.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who was behind in the pre-election polls, was telling voters to vote for him again and boasted about his achievement of a 3.9% unemployment rate and warned that his rival was a "loose unit" incapable of managing the economy.

Albanese has pledged to end Australia's sluggish policies in climate change, while also promising to help people struggling amid rising prices and to hold a referendum on giving indigenous people an institutional voice in the country's policymaking.