Australian Coalition's Shock Farrer Byelection Loss Sparks Internal Recriminations
Australia's opposition Liberal-Nationals Coalition lost the normally safe Farrer byelection. Senator Jane Hume criticised the Coalition's campaign in sharp terms, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also weighed in.
Australia's normally safe Farrer seat in New South Wales was unexpectedly won by an independent candidate in a byelection, defeating the opposition Liberal-Nationals Coalition. The independent finished ahead by about 2.3 percentage points on the latest count. The Coalition had held the seat since 1947.
Senator Jane Hume sharply criticised the Coalition leadership for the result; speaking to ABC News, she said the campaign had not been assertive enough. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attributed the outcome to the Coalition 'legitimising' One Nation. The Liberal Party leader said the matter would be discussed in detail in the party room.
Analysts said the byelection is being read as an early indicator for the next federal election. Banking and energy shares in Sydney opened slightly lower on Monday on policy uncertainty. The Australian dollar traded in a narrow range against the US dollar.
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