Liberal Party Wins Australian Elections
Tuesday, September 10th, 2013September 10, 2013
Tony Abbott, the leader of Australia’s Liberal Party, has claimed victory for the Coalition in federal elections. The Coalition consists of the Liberal Party and the National Party. (Contrary to its name, the Liberal Party is a center-right political party.) Abbott defeated Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who became prime minister in June, after ousting then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard as leader of the Australian Labor Party. Rudd had also served as prime minister from 2007 to 2010.

Tony Abbott (The Office of Tony Abbott MHR)
The Coalition will hold 91 seats in the next Parliament, compared with the Labor Party’s 54 seats. “From today, I declare that Australia is under new management and that Australia is once more open for business,” stated Abbott, repeating his election pledges–the repeal of a controversial carbon tax; an end to illegal immigrants entering the country; and an effort to place the national budget on a sound footing for a “believable surplus.”
Additional World Book articles:
- Australia 2010 (a Back in Time article)
- Australia 2012 (a Back in Time article)