Sophie Ling (1982-) was the Labor Prime Minister of Australia from 5 July 2027, succeeding Bob Bristow. Ling replaced Keith Tyler as Labor leader in 2026 and continued his centrist policy agenda, attempting to maintain a balanced or growing budget while investing in social programs. She was a steadfast supporter of environmentalism, a cause that helped bolster her party's popularity ahead of her first election victory. Ling's clever political maneuvering, including the calling of a 2031 snap election, enabled her to consistently form center-left governments with the support of the Australian Greens and occasionally the Teal independents despite the Labor Party hovering around a 40% plurality throughout her tenure as leader.
Biography[]
Sophie Ling was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1982 to a family of Chinese immigrants. Ling distinguished herself as a lawyer before entering politics with the Australian Labor Party, being elected to the House of Representatives in April 2022. Ling made a name for herself as deputy Labor leader under Keith Tyler, serving as the Labor government's chief spokesperson and advertising the party's legislative achievements. On 17 August 2026, she became Labor leader and Leader of the Opposition after former Prime Minister Keith Tyler stood down in the wake of a major election defeat. Ling won 24 votes to incumbent Prime Minister Bob Bristow's 24, narrowly failing to unseat him. Her appointment as leader led to a 3-point poll drop for Labor, but, as Leader of the Opposition under Bristow, she oversaw the party's recovery of lost support. The Teal independents' anger at the Liberals' fossil fuel subsidies resulted in the independents backing Ling for Prime Minister after the 2027 federal election, and she was able to form a government with the Teals and Australian Greens on 5 July 2027.
Premiership[]
Ling inherited a budget of $153 million with a weekly decline of $1 million. The House voted 50-2 for a robbery penalty, 23-21 to abolish fossil fuel subsidies, 25-24 to abolish fishing regulations, 35-8 to keep primary education free, 43-1 against universal basic income, 25-19 to abolish the air travel tax, 23-22 against a school bus tax, 40-3 for a child benefit, 24-21 against bank secrecy, 18-9 to keep the organ donation program, 37-14 against a one-child policy, 36-10 for a copyright law, and 29-20 against the death sentence.
On 1 May 2028, new elections saw Labor win 37.25% of the vote and 20/54 seats, followed by the Liberals with 16.05% and 9/54 seats, the Greens with 10.91% and 6/54 seats, the Nationals with 10.49% and 6/54 seats, the Teals with 9.41% and 5/54 seats, the LNP with 8% and 4/54 seats, and One Nation with 7.89% and 4/54 seats. Ling won re-election with 28 votes to 22, losing the Teals but winning solid support from her party and the Greens.
Ling's second term saw the House vote 42-3 to call elections every 70 weeks, 29-16 for a four-term limit for prime ministers (failing to pass the constitutional amendment threshold), 24-19 to keep same-sex marriage legal, 24-17 to keep abortion legal, 31-18 for an air travel tax, 32-16 for a carbon tax, 23-21 for fossil fuel subsidies, 35-6 for a postal service, 22-18 to abolish the national football league, 39-8 against a one-child policy, and 25-20 to keep maternity leave. In February 2029, the country was beset by an immigration crisis, but Labor was able to maintain steady support going into the 12 March 2029 elections.
On election day, Labor placed first with 37.43% of the vote and 20/54 seats, followed by the Liberals with 15.11% and 8/54 seats, the Greens with 12.75% and 7/54 seats, the Nationals with 11.35% and 6/54 seats, One Nation with 9.5% and 5/54 seats, the Teals with 9.14% and 5/54 seats, and the LNP with 4.72% and 3/54 seats. Ling would win the ensuing leadership election with 25 votes to Bristow's 22.
Ling's third term saw the House vote 39-7 for a custom duty, 37-7 to keep vehicle emission limits, 30-21 for fishing regulations, 31-9 to keep the postal service, 23-21 against a school bus tax, 22-20 for highway tolls, 25-18 for a plastic tax, 25-20 to abolish same-sex marriage, 32-13 against bank secrecy, 27-17 for a pollution tax, 34-7 to abolish the draft, 27-20 to abolish prison labor, 40-5 to fund a national football league, 37-7 against a one-child policy, 35-9 for a public smoking ban, 27-10 to keep gender quotas, and 25-24 for a consumption tax. Lisanne Deagle's corruption scandal damaged the Labor Party's image just weeks before the election, but a series of media appearances by Ling and Tyler helped mend the situation.
On 15 July 2030, new elections saw Labor win 38.8% of the vote and 21/54 seats, followed by One Nation with 14.08% and 8/54 seats, the Nationals with 11.94% and 6/54 seats, the Greens with 11.43% and 6/54 seats, the Liberals with 11.06% and 6/54 seats, the Teals with 8.8% and 5/54 seats, and the LNP with 3.9% and 2/54 seats. The 2030 election marked a watershed moment in Australian politics as right-wing voters rejected the establishment Liberals in favor of the right-wing populist Nationals and the far-right One Nation. Likewise, Labor retained its usual vote share of just below 40%, remaining the largest party in the country while still being threatened by the potential defection of Teals to the opposition. Ling would win re-election with 27 votes to One Nation leader Jim Byrum's 23, with the Teals surprisingly voting for a far-right candidate over Ling.
Ling's fourth term saw the House vote 32-9 to abolish highway tolls, 25-22 to keep fishing regulations, 40-9 for a tobacco tax, 29-17 to keep abortion legal, 42-8 against a one-child policy, 25-21 against raising military spending, 32-9 against making Australia a tax haven, 39-4 against universal basic income, and 27-21 to abolish the consumption tax.
On 28 July 2031, Ling called a snap election as a favorable economy and rising poll numbers indicated a chance to win additional seats in the House. Labor placed in first with 40.61% and 22/54 seats, followed by One Nation with 12.65% and 7/54 seats, the Greens with 12.4% and 7/54 seats, the Liberals with 11.17% and 6/54 seats, the Nationals with 9.76% and 5/54 seats, the Teal independents with 7.9% and 4/54 seats, and the LNP with 5.52% and 3/54 seats. Labor was able to win back support from One Nation while the Greens usurped Teal independent voters. The ensuing election saw Ling win 31 votes to Byrum's 21, confirming Labor's election victory.