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| Australian Leader Calls for Elections After Bruising Year | Australian Leader Calls for Elections After Bruising Year |
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| SYDNEY, Australia — Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia on Wednesday announced that federal elections would be held in September, ending speculation over the timing with an unusually early announcement that will launch what is sure to be a bruising almost nine-month long campaign season. | |
| Ms. Gillard, Australia’s first female prime minister, has led a tenuous minority Labor Party government since a disappointing election in 2010, which saw her parliamentary majority severely diminished. In setting the elections for Sept. 14 — well ahead of the latest possible election date of Nov. 30 — Ms. Gillard insisted that she was aiming for political stability and not the start of the nation’s “longest election campaign.” | Ms. Gillard, Australia’s first female prime minister, has led a tenuous minority Labor Party government since a disappointing election in 2010, which saw her parliamentary majority severely diminished. In setting the elections for Sept. 14 — well ahead of the latest possible election date of Nov. 30 — Ms. Gillard insisted that she was aiming for political stability and not the start of the nation’s “longest election campaign.” |
| “Time is not for wasting. So decisions have to be made about how we use our time this year,” she said during a speech to the National Press Club in the capital, Canberra. “It gives shape and order to the year, and enables it to be one not of fevered campaigning, but of cool and reasoned deliberation.” | “Time is not for wasting. So decisions have to be made about how we use our time this year,” she said during a speech to the National Press Club in the capital, Canberra. “It gives shape and order to the year, and enables it to be one not of fevered campaigning, but of cool and reasoned deliberation.” |
| The announcement comes after a particularly tough year for the prime minister in 2012, even by the standards of Australia’s normally raucous political culture. In February Ms. Gillard fended off a very public leadership challenge by her former foreign minister, Kevin Rudd, a former prime minister. In November, the opposition leveled allegations of corruption stemming from Ms. Gillard’s past work as a young labor lawyer, leading to vitriolic and deeply personal arguments on the floor of parliament. | |
| Ms. Gillard acknowledged in her speech that Australians’ patience had been seriously tried by “months of boiling hot political debate.” | Ms. Gillard acknowledged in her speech that Australians’ patience had been seriously tried by “months of boiling hot political debate.” |
| “In 2013, I am determined their patience is not tried again,” she said. | “In 2013, I am determined their patience is not tried again,” she said. |
| Within moments of Ms. Gillard’s announcement, however, members of the opposition Liberal-National coalition led by MP Tony Abbott took to social media to assail the decision — giving some early sense of what Australian voters can expect of the elongated campaign season. Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey responded to her announcement by accusing the government of timing the elections to obfuscate the results of the annual federal budget, which will be released later in the year. | Within moments of Ms. Gillard’s announcement, however, members of the opposition Liberal-National coalition led by MP Tony Abbott took to social media to assail the decision — giving some early sense of what Australian voters can expect of the elongated campaign season. Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey responded to her announcement by accusing the government of timing the elections to obfuscate the results of the annual federal budget, which will be released later in the year. |
| “Election on Sept. 14 is before the final budget outcome is revealed for the current year,” Mr. Hockey protested on Twitter. | “Election on Sept. 14 is before the final budget outcome is revealed for the current year,” Mr. Hockey protested on Twitter. |
| Malcolm Turnbull, a former opposition leader and Liberal member of parliament, accused Ms. Gillard of setting a date that was insensitive to Jewish voters. The elections will coincide with the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. | Malcolm Turnbull, a former opposition leader and Liberal member of parliament, accused Ms. Gillard of setting a date that was insensitive to Jewish voters. The elections will coincide with the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. |
| “Deeply disappointed that Julia Gillard chose to hold the election on Yom Kippur — the most solemn and sacred day of the Jewish year,” he posted on Twitter. | |
| Ms. Gillard replaced Mr. Rudd as prime minister in a 2010 party coup that left her politically hobbled. For much of her tenure as prime minister, her ruling Labor Party has languished in the polls, despite the passage of significant legislation including the institution of a national carbon emissions trading scheme and a tax on the profits of big mining companies. | Ms. Gillard replaced Mr. Rudd as prime minister in a 2010 party coup that left her politically hobbled. For much of her tenure as prime minister, her ruling Labor Party has languished in the polls, despite the passage of significant legislation including the institution of a national carbon emissions trading scheme and a tax on the profits of big mining companies. |
| Both the Labor Party’s and the prime minister’s poll numbers have risen steadily in recent months, however, and Ms. Gillard seemed confident that she would be able to lead the party to victory over the opposition and Mr. Abbott, who polls have consistently shown is deeply unpopular with the electorate. | Both the Labor Party’s and the prime minister’s poll numbers have risen steadily in recent months, however, and Ms. Gillard seemed confident that she would be able to lead the party to victory over the opposition and Mr. Abbott, who polls have consistently shown is deeply unpopular with the electorate. |
| Ms. Gillard said that she would ask that parliament be dissolved on Aug. 12, setting up a short parliamentary year to cap a long election season. | Ms. Gillard said that she would ask that parliament be dissolved on Aug. 12, setting up a short parliamentary year to cap a long election season. |