Too close to call Down Under

Australia has spoken, but it will take some time to determine what they’ve said. ABC is reporting that Australia is headed for its first hung parliament since 1940. Exit polls suggested that Julia Gillard’s Labor party would win the most seats; but it now looks as if Tony Abbott’s Coalition has obtained 73 seats, one more than Labor; there are also 4 independents and 1 Green MP to throw into the mix. Conservative Home is following the election in detail.

Weak and indecisive government may follow, but the Coalition has the political momentum. 6 months ago Kevin Rudd was, in racing parlance, a dead-cert for re-election. Mounting enmity and severe policy errors demolished Rudd’s popularity in a matter of weeks and he was replaced by Julia Gillard, who called an election whilst still enjoying the post-Rudd honeymoon. But Rudd’s unpopularity casts a long shadow: his home state of Queensland have comprehensively voted against Labor.

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Harry Mount

You should feel disappointed if you don’t get into Oxbridge

It’s too early to make predictions, but judging by the tenor of her comments Gillard doesn’t fancy her chances of staying in power.

‘Obviously this is too close to call; there are many seats where the result is undecided and where it will take a number of days to determine the result.