Anthony Albanese is reportedly keen to strike a free trade deal with Brazilian President Lula da Silva, exchanging Australian gas and iron ore for 900 state-of-the-art Brazilian voting machines.
Lula secured re-election on Sunday after defeating Flávio Bolsonaro in a controversial runoff. In an unprecedented move, Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin, a former lawyer for Lula, ordered voting extended by two hours as polls were closing. Both campaigns had requested extensions, but critics questioned the timing.
Electoral authorities controlled by Lula maintained the extension did not affect the result.
Meanwhile, fellow Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has ordered Flávio to surrender his passports, fearing he could be reunited with his father in jail.
Albanese was quick to congratulate his ally, with rumours Albo’s nickname, “Lula Light”, is actually a badge of honour among his Labor supporters.
The PM, already familiar with the electoral benefits of broken promises, mass migration and expanding the public sector, is reportedly eager to learn from Brazil’s approach to democracy.
The government says the deal would strengthen trade and international cooperation, although whether the machines will arrive before Australia’s next election remains unclear.