Voters often invest their hopes in a new government, but the atmosphere feels more like relief

Newly minted prime minister Anthony Albanese holds a press conference in Parliament House’s Blue Room last Monday, with foreign minister Penny Wong and deputy leader Richard Marles. Photograph: David Gray/Getty Images

This observation is more whimsy than science, but indulge me for a moment. Australians don’t change the stripe of their federal government that often and when they do, they make an emotional investment in the new regime.

The emotional investment often translates as hope. But this time, the prevailing atmosphere feels more like relief. Relief is adjacent to hope, but it’s not quite the same thing.