So what will newly-elected Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's victory mean for New Zealand and the relationship with our so-called mates across the ditch?
Well, a lot will depend on his attitude towards sending 501s over here and how many of our nurses they try to poach.
Anthony Albanese is the new boss of our closest ally. But not all of us Kiwis knew that on Sunday.
While name recognition may be one of Albanese's first trans-Tasman challenges, it won't be the most significant - as pointed out by our Prime Minister two years ago.
"Do not deport your people and your problems," Jacinda Ardern said.
Those problems are known as 501s who are sent to detention facilities after committing crimes in Australia and then exiled to their country of birth, often New Zealand.
Now 501 advocates are calling on Albanese to show some compassion.
"If we want hope he needs to give clear direction and leadership and change the legislation full-stop," said Route 501 advocacy and support group founder Filipa Payne.
Advocates are taking legal action against the Australian government over the treatment of those deported.
"We believe we have a clear path to hold Australia accountable," Payne said.
When asked by Newshub earlier this week if he'd stop it if elected Albanese didn't seem to be budging.
"If people commit serious offences action should be taken in Australia's national interests," he said.
Despite being a less divisive issue, Albanese's aged care policy could have just as big of an impact on our shores. His Labor Party's pledging to have registered nurses at all facilities in Australia 24/7.
"It's great for Australia and potentially a real problem for New Zealand. We're already losing staff from New Zealand to Australia across our health system, we can't afford to lose them," said Sarah Dalton, executive director at the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists.
But it's looking increasingly likely we will lose them as Australia pays more and has better work conditions.
And that would put more pressure on our health system. We need more than 12,000 nurses in aged care facilities and hospitals to catch up to Aussie staff levels.
"Any loss of clinical staff, whether they're nursing, allied or medical, is going to put further strains on the people who are already working there, it's going to cause delays to care. There may be harm," Dalton said.
Despite issues bubbling away in the Tasman there's optimism the overall relationship could warm up.
"When you've got party leaders of the same values it makes an easier relationship, particularly on formal things so they're likely to chat more often, share ideas more often," Franks Ogilvie director Brigitte Morten said.
Which may help Anthony Albanese to become more of a household name in Aotearoa.
