Soon after returning as Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull is already getting an idea of the trouble he’s set to face in the tumultuous term ahead.
SYDNEY — Astralia’s prime minister said on Sunday that his conservative coalition government was re-elected for a second three-year term, after a chaotic national election that left the country in a state of political paralysis for more thn a week while officials scrambled to sort out who had won the tight race.
Eight days after Australia’s general election ended in uncertainty, the prime minister finally claimed victory Sunday for his conservative coalition, bringing an end to the country’s political paralysis — at least for the moment.
Though the question of who won the July 2 election was answered, the question of exactly how the conservatives will rule the fractured Parliament was not. With official results still days or even weeks away, it was unclear whether Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal Party-led coalition had won enough votes to govern in its own right, or whether it would need the support of independent and minor party lawmakers to form a minority government.
“We have resolved this election and done so peacefully,” Turnbull told reporters.
The election was not, however, entirely resolved. Parties are required to hold at least 76 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives to form a majority government, and neither party has yet to officially reach that number.
Mr Turnbull faces a tough road ahead to heal his own divided party and at the same time deal with a fractured Senate and convince a cynical electorate.
The next six months will be the true test of the willingness of the Coalition’s moderate and more conservative MPs to unite behind their leader. It will also reveal exactly whether Mr. Turnbull is capable of delivering the stable government all Australians want.
Other key issues that voters will be watching closely include the Coalition’s proposed changes to superannuation and Mr Turnbull’s commitment to reinstate the Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner — an independent watchdog to oversee the building and construction industry. These will depend heavily on the final makeup of the Upper House.
While most senior cabinet ministers are expected to hold on to their positions, fallen junior ministers Wyatt Roy and Peter Hendy — both key Turnbull backers who were instrumental in his toppling of former PM Tony Abbott — will have to be replaced.
Tourism Minister Richard Colbeck is also battling to retain his seat in the Senate.
Mr Turnbull yesterday said the new parliament would showcase “many new and younger faces”, and there have been suggestions he’ll want his frontbench to reflect this with the elevations of rising conservative stars.
The promotions would placate the coalition’s right wing, but leave the leader with a party room leaning less in his favour.
While most senior cabinet ministers are expected to hold on to their positions, fallen junior ministers Wyatt Roy and Peter Hendy — both key Turnbull backers who were instrumental in his toppling of former PM Tony Abbott — will have to be replaced.
Tourism Minister Richard Colbeck is also battling to retain his seat in the Senate.
Mr Turnbull yesterday said the new parliament would showcase “many new and younger faces”, and there have been suggestions he’ll want his frontbench to reflect this with the elevations of rising conservative stars.
The promotions would placate the coalition’s right wing, but leave the leader with a party room leaning less in his favour.
While one of Mr Turnbull’s goals in calling the double dissolution election was to clear out the Senate with its eight crossbenchers. But commenting on the backfire yesterday, he played the difficulties he’s endured from the diverse senate line-up.
“There are always crossbenchers in the Senate. There is always going to be,” he said.
“Now we don’t know who is going to be in the Senate yet and indeed there are a number of seats in the House of Representatives that are yet to be finally determined although we have a higher level of confidence about almost all of them.
“So as to what the numbers will be, we await the determinations of the AEC and of course many of these Senators — future Senators — will have open minds on this issue and will remain to be convinced on the merits of either side of the argument.”
