Australians took to the polls on Saturday and voiced their disdain over a much despised carbon emission tax, laws regarding asylum seekers and a struggling economy by ending the six years of Labor Party rule and ushering in a new era of conservative influence by electing the Liberal-National coalition into power, according to the Associated Press.
"I know that Labor hearts are heavy across the nation tonight, and as your prime minister and as your parliamentary leader of the great Australian Labor Party, I accept responsibility," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told supporters shortly after conceding defeat to Liberal-National leader Tony Abbot. "I gave it my all, but it was not enough for us to win."
Rudd's tenure as prime minister only lasted a matter of weeks; after a challenge of leadership in June Rudd took over for Julia Gillard. Polls at the time showed that the Labor party was destined to get wiped out in the election. Rudd was able to turn the tide slightly but it turned out to be too little too late, according to the BBC.
Many in Australia think that the election wasn't won by the Liberal-National coalition so much as it was lost by the Labor party. Lagging economic growth and political infighting soured voters on the one popular Labor party. Former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke believes that infighting cost them the election.
"I really believe this was an election that was lost by the government rather than one that was won by the opposition," Hawke told the BBC.
Abbott was heavily endorsed by the media empire owned by Rupert Murdoch and is fairly conservative. In order to strengthen the Australian economy Abbott has promised to make pro-business moves by removing taxes on carbon emissions and mining as well as cutting $4.5 billion off of the foreign aid budget. Abbott is known as a skeptic on climate change and he opposes same-sex marriage, according to the BBC.
"From today I declare that Australia is under new management and Australia is once more open for business," Abbott told his supporters. "It is the people of Australia to determine the government and the prime minister of this country and you will punish anyone who takes you for granted."
***A correction was made to this article: The election occurred on Saturday, not Friday as originally written.
