Voters switching back to Coalition (more good news for Australian conservatism)

The Australian ^ | 7th December 2009 | Dennis Shanahan

[naturalman1975]

THE Liberal Party's biggest gambles in decades - electing Tony Abbott as Leader of the Opposition and rejecting Labor's ETS in the Senate - appear to have paid their first dividends, and in exactly the way the Liberal Party had hoped they would.

Two weeks ago Malcolm Turnbull was Liberal leader, the Coalition had embraced Labor's ETS and was about to pass it through the Senate and Turnbull was facing two by-elections which were deliberately designed to wreck his leadership.

The Liberal Party was divided over climate change and the leadership, the Coalition was split over the ETS and there were dire predictions of electoral disaster if the Liberals did not approve Kevin Rudd's ETS.

This morning, Abbott, as Leader of the Opposition, is able to claim victory in the two by-elections of Higgins and Bradfield, with a swing towards the Liberal Party, can claim electoral approval for his dramatic policy reversal on the ETS, has cut into Rudd's lead as preferred prime minister and reclaimed the Liberal base.

[naturalman1975]

Remember:

Liberal Party of Australia = Australia's main conservative party.

Coalition = Liberals and National Party (Australia's second largest conservative party) who normally work together in government and opposition (ie, prior to the last election, the Liberals leader John Howard was Prime Minister, while the Nationals leader Mark Vaile was Deputy Prime Minister and both parties were represented in Cabinet.)

[vikingsteve]

And just to clarify, the Australian “Liberal” party is not “little l” liberal - they’re the opposite (almost like your Republicans)

[stephenjohnbanker]

Good news.