It's already been an unprecedented year for Australian politics. In June, Kevin Rudd was ousted by his own party, completing an astonishing fall from dizzying heights of public popularity. He's been replaced by Australia's first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, who's facing off against the pugnacious Tony Abbott. With two outsize characters, the stage is set for a lively campaign, and The Diplomat is placing readers at the heart of the action with in-country bloggers, key issue analysis and daily breaking headlines—everything you need to stay on top of the action.
Labor’s coup plotters and political fix-it men have been suitably rewarded in Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s newly unveiled ministerial line-up. Yet if winners are grinners, the broadest smile was planted on former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s face as he announced his new, plum post as foreign minister at a pr ... Read more
Australia's Julia Gillard has made history by becoming the country's first elected female prime minister, after two rural independent lawmakers announced their support for a Gillard government on Tuesday afternoon.
The stand-off, following the August 21 election, that delivered the country's first hung Parliament in 7 ... Read more
Australia’s system of parliamentary democracy may never quite be the same again following reforms initiated by the ‘gang of three’ rural independents. As the nation impatiently awaited a decision by the three key lawmakers on which side of politics they would support, the political kingmakers announced changes to the ch ... Read more
Australia’s political waiting game may be nearing an end, after veteran Labor incumbent Arch Bevis conceded that he was unlikely to defend his seat of Brisbane from the Coalition candidate Teresa Gambaro. Should the result be confirmed, Labor would retain 72 seats in the lower house—4 short of the 76 required for government&m; ... Read more
Australia’s federal election has now gone into its second week of political deadlock. A report yesterday by the AFP, observes that both Prime Minister Julia Gillard and challenger Tony Abbott continue to try and win the fav ... Read more
A doctor by training, Brown worked as a general practitioner before becoming involved in Tasmania’s environmentalist movement in the early 1970s. After joining the United Tasmania Group, Australia’s first ‘green’ party, in 1972, he became the first Green to be elected to...
Welsh-born Julia Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, having come to power in June 2010 after Kevin Rudd stood down. Gillard has been MP for Lalor since 1998. After Labor was defeated in the 2001 election, Gillard was elected...
Tony Abbott has been leader of the opposition since 2009 and has represented the seat of Warringah since 1994. After the 2007 election defeat of the Howard Government, Abbott was Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs until...
Warren Truss has been leader of the National Party since being elected in 2007 and has been the Member of Parliament for Wide Bay since 1990. Truss was appointed Shadow Minister for Trade, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government by...