Progressives returned for third term in Australia's Victoria state

The progressive government of Australia's Victoria state won re-election on Saturday, clearing the way for spending on infrastructure, education and healthcare.

After eight years in power in the country's second-most populous state, centre-left Labor was tipped to defeat its Liberal-National coalition opposition, and the government, led by Daniel Andrews, was comfortably returned at Saturday's poll.

Qazet.az reports that with 67% of the vote counted, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Sunday forecast Labor to win 49 seats in the state's lower house, and the Liberal-National coalition to take 24 seats.

Forty-five seats are needed to form a majority government in the 88-seat Victorian legislative assembly.

"I'm humbled and so grateful, so so grateful, that Victorians have re-elected a majority Labor government," Andrews told ABC television on Sunday morning.