AP, SYDNEYA jubilant Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday vowed to get straight back to work after a shock election victory by his conservative government that has left bewildered voters wondering how they were taken by surprise. Instead, Morrison — who became prime minister in August last year when a contentious internal party vote dumped then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as its leader — swept the coalition to victory with what is likely to be an increased representation in the federal parliament. The result is much the same as the last election, which delivered the government a single-seat majority in 2016. Opinion polling has been a factor in conservative and Labor governments ousting four of their own prime ministers in the past decade, most recently elevating Morrison to prime minister. Speaking before attending church in his electorate in southern Sydney yesterday morning, Morrison thanked Australians for returning him to office.

Source: Taipei Times May 19, 2019 15:56 UTC