IN THEIR last debate before Australia’s general election on July 2nd, Malcolm Turnbull, the Liberal prime minister and head of the conservative coalition government, and Bill Shorten, the Labor opposition leader, faced not just an audience of swing voters, but the entire world: Facebook live-streamed the event. An online viewer named Melissa asked the first question: given the “lies and backflipping” from major-party politicians, and the number of prime ministers Australia has churned through (five in the past decade), why should she vote for either of them? Why not vote for an independent? Many voters are asking themselves the same thing. More than any Australian election in decades, this one could be decided by independents and small parties.
That is partly owing to surprisingly tight polls. The government’s approval rating soared after Mr Turnbull (pictured left) unseated the snarling Tony Abbott as the Liberal Party’s leader last September. With his sunnier manner and more liberal views, many expected Mr Turnbull to coast to an easy victory as he sought a strong mandate of his own. But Mr Shorten, the first Labor leader in 15 years to survive...Continue reading
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