Australia voted for a new government and new Prime Minister on Saturday. The Labor Party, led by Kevin Rudd, was defeated. The new government will be the Coalition party, a coalition of Liberal and National parties. The Coalition party is conservative.
The leader of the Coalition, Tony Abbott is also conservative. He does not support gay marriage, he will remove the carbon tax and the mining tax and he does not want Australia to become a republic. He supports the royal family.
How will a new Prime Minister and government affect New Zealand? John Key said that he has met Tony Abbott many times and thinks they will get on well together because the New Zealand National government is also conservative. Margaret Abbott, the wife of Tony Abbott, was born in New Zealand.
Australia is our number one trading partner for exports and imports. If the economy of Australia improves, that will be good for New Zealand.
Vocabulary
• defeated – did not win, failed
• coalition – 2 (or more) parties join together
• conservative – conservatives do not like change
• republic – has a President not a Queen