Australia’s fragile ruling Labor coalition government suffered an embarrassing blow on Saturday when the party was crushed by the Liberal Nationals in Queensland elections.
Labor had ruled in the state for 14 years but Premier Anna Bligh was dealt a devastating defeat at the hands of Campbell Newman, a former lord mayor of the Queensland capital Brisbane. There was a massive swing against the party with the Liberals taking 75 seats to Labor’s six by late Saturday evening. State broadcaster ABC projected the Liberals would win 77 of the 89 seats in parliament to just eight for Labor when all votes were counted with minor parties claiming the rest. Forty-five were needed for victory. The defeat has compounded the problems for Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Labor which is lagging in national opinion polls and still reeling from a damaging leadership ballot which split the party.
