Article snippet: A devout Christian, Mr. Morrison, 51, told supporters he had “always believed in miracles” after he defied pollsters, punters, bookmakers, climate catastrophists and most – but not all – media pundits to return to the government benches on the back of a populist wave: U.S. President Donald Trump added his own praise for what was a remarkable victory against a hard left Labor Party challenge. He said on Twitter. “Congratulations to Scott on a GREAT WIN,” According to the White House, the two leaders reaffirmed the “critical importance” of the long-standing alliance and friendship between the United States and Australia in a phone call, and they pledged to continue their close cooperation on shared priorities. Mr. Trump’s own victory in 2016 was seen to be mirrored in Mr. Morrison’s win, after he defied both the polls and a (mostly) hostile media to defeat Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by winning over the silent majority. Canada’s Justin Trudeau added his congratulations: Former Australian leader John Howard was also happy to see a man defy the odds to claim a win based on solid campaign trail work: Every single opinion poll for the past two years had pointed to a Labor victory ahead of Saturday’s vote, predicting the demise of the architect of Australia’s famously tough migration and border policies. One of the first acts Mr.Morrison made as the country’s new leader last year was to exit the U.N. migration pact: The Labor party sought to make this election a po... Link to the full article to read more