Australia in political limbo after cliff-hanger election
- 8 years ago
Australia woke up on Sunday (July 3) to the headache of a hung parliament and a minority government, after a general election that was too close to call.
Vote counting has been paused and was so tight that Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull’s Liberal Party-led coalition may need the support of independents and smaller parties to remain in power.
A clearer result isn’t expected until at least Tuesday, when vote counting resumes. The process could take a week or more, and the coalition will rule under caretaker provisions in the interim.
“I remain quietly confident that a majority coalition government will be returned at this election when the counting is completed,” Turnbull told reporters.
But his main challenger, Labour party leader Bill Shorten, said while Saturday’s election failed to produced a clear winner, there was one clear loser: the prime minister’s reform agenda, which includes tax cuts for companies.
“Last night was an historic night. The Labor party is most certainly back,” Shorten said.
.billshortenmp: Malcolm Turnbull's agenda the clear loser #ausvotes https://t.co/pbCgBxsvFQ— ABC News (abcnews) July 3, 2016
There is nothing in the Constitution to deal with the situation where neither side can form majority govt #ausvotes https://t.co/twlHcsIg7z— The Conversation (@ConversationEDU) July 3, 2016
Turnbull’s gamble backfires
As of Sunday morning, the Australian Electoral Commission said Shorten’s Labour Party was leading in 72 seats, Turnbull’s coalition in 66 seats, and minor parties or independents in five seats. Parties need to hold at least 76 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives to form a government.
The shift to the opposition and independent groups is a major blow for Turnbull, who ousted Tony Abbott as prime minister in a dramatic party-room coup last year and called the early election in a bid to strengthen his leadership and end a decade of political instability.
“I just feel that the country has turned against Malcolm because of what he did to Tony Abbott. I think they’re fed up with what goes on in politics,” said Sydney resident Debbie Moldovan.
Last week Turnbull invoked the turmoil Brexit caused on financial markets to call on Australians to vote for stability – after the nation saw four prime ministers in the past three years.
“I think what we need now is a stable majority government particularly given some of the uncertainties that exist at the moment in the world,” said another voter, Tom Curnow.
If Turnbull’s coalition fails to form a government, it would be the first time in 85 years that a ruling party in Australia loses power after its first term in office.
Pauline Hanson elected to Senate as Turnbull’s double-dissolution gamble backfires – The Guardian: Herald Sun… https://t.co/DkcRAGzGWv— Jan Hutton (@janinehutton) July 3, 2016
Political skullduggery?
Adding to the political drama, Australian police said they were considering whether to investigate thousands of text messages sent to voters on Saturday by the opposition Labour Party purporting to be from the state healthcare service Medicare, warning the service would be privatised by a coalition government.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the message “an extraordinary act of dishonesty” in a speech to party faithful on election night.
“It’s a pretty shameful episode in Australian political history,” he said.
The Queensland state branch of Labour told Fairfax Media it had sent the messages, and said they was not meant to appear as though they had been sent by Medicare. Labor made the prospect of privatisation of Medicare a key point of attack in its election campaign.
Australia Top News: Fake Medicare texts source outed – POLICE have confirmed they are investigating the source … https://t.co/352VgMpSiq— Thor (SydneyAffairs) (@SydneyAffairs) July 3, 2016
Vote counting has been paused and was so tight that Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull’s Liberal Party-led coalition may need the support of independents and smaller parties to remain in power.
A clearer result isn’t expected until at least Tuesday, when vote counting resumes. The process could take a week or more, and the coalition will rule under caretaker provisions in the interim.
“I remain quietly confident that a majority coalition government will be returned at this election when the counting is completed,” Turnbull told reporters.
But his main challenger, Labour party leader Bill Shorten, said while Saturday’s election failed to produced a clear winner, there was one clear loser: the prime minister’s reform agenda, which includes tax cuts for companies.
“Last night was an historic night. The Labor party is most certainly back,” Shorten said.
.billshortenmp: Malcolm Turnbull's agenda the clear loser #ausvotes https://t.co/pbCgBxsvFQ— ABC News (abcnews) July 3, 2016
There is nothing in the Constitution to deal with the situation where neither side can form majority govt #ausvotes https://t.co/twlHcsIg7z— The Conversation (@ConversationEDU) July 3, 2016
Turnbull’s gamble backfires
As of Sunday morning, the Australian Electoral Commission said Shorten’s Labour Party was leading in 72 seats, Turnbull’s coalition in 66 seats, and minor parties or independents in five seats. Parties need to hold at least 76 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives to form a government.
The shift to the opposition and independent groups is a major blow for Turnbull, who ousted Tony Abbott as prime minister in a dramatic party-room coup last year and called the early election in a bid to strengthen his leadership and end a decade of political instability.
“I just feel that the country has turned against Malcolm because of what he did to Tony Abbott. I think they’re fed up with what goes on in politics,” said Sydney resident Debbie Moldovan.
Last week Turnbull invoked the turmoil Brexit caused on financial markets to call on Australians to vote for stability – after the nation saw four prime ministers in the past three years.
“I think what we need now is a stable majority government particularly given some of the uncertainties that exist at the moment in the world,” said another voter, Tom Curnow.
If Turnbull’s coalition fails to form a government, it would be the first time in 85 years that a ruling party in Australia loses power after its first term in office.
Pauline Hanson elected to Senate as Turnbull’s double-dissolution gamble backfires – The Guardian: Herald Sun… https://t.co/DkcRAGzGWv— Jan Hutton (@janinehutton) July 3, 2016
Political skullduggery?
Adding to the political drama, Australian police said they were considering whether to investigate thousands of text messages sent to voters on Saturday by the opposition Labour Party purporting to be from the state healthcare service Medicare, warning the service would be privatised by a coalition government.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the message “an extraordinary act of dishonesty” in a speech to party faithful on election night.
“It’s a pretty shameful episode in Australian political history,” he said.
The Queensland state branch of Labour told Fairfax Media it had sent the messages, and said they was not meant to appear as though they had been sent by Medicare. Labor made the prospect of privatisation of Medicare a key point of attack in its election campaign.
Australia Top News: Fake Medicare texts source outed – POLICE have confirmed they are investigating the source … https://t.co/352VgMpSiq— Thor (SydneyAffairs) (@SydneyAffairs) July 3, 2016