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Labor, Julia Gillard Climb up in Fairfax-Nielsen Poll, Diminish Prospect of Defeat

Australian PM Throws Down The Gauntlet For Women's Rights

Julia Gillard, Australia's first female PM, landed a stunning blow against male chauvinism in a lengthy broadside in parliament.

Australian Senator Bernardi Links Gay Marriage To Bestiality, Promptly Resigns

Former Australian Member of Parliament Cory Bernardi was forced to resign on Wednesday after making comments that linked gay marriage to polygamy and bestiality.

Australia Announces Early Withdrawal Of Troops From Afghanistan, Opposition Terms Decision As Politically Motivated

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announces early withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan

Australia is planning to pull out most of its troops by 2013, a year earlier than planned. Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced Tuesday that the mission in Afghanistan was nearly completed and most of its troops would be back home by 2013, smh.com reported.

Australian PM Gillard Fends Off Leadership Challenge from Rudd

Gillard told reporters that she was grateful for the ''overwhelming endorsement'' from her colleagues.

More news

Handout picture shows activists from Forest Rescue posing for a photograph aboard the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Sea Shepherd: Australian Anti-Whaling Activists Detained by Japanese

They are apparently on a hunger strike as well.

Winds of change - Women set to rule the world?

With the advent of the first female Prime Minister in Thailand, women now seem to be more powerful than ever.

Gillard govt to set carbon price from mid-2012

Australia's government launched a third attempt on Thursday to make carbon polluters pay for their emissions, unveiling plans for a fixed-price scheme from 2012 and vowing not to surrender this time in the face of fierce opposition.

Support for Australian government tumbles after disasters

The Australian government's support has slipped to dangerously low levels following a summer of natural disasters and as Prime Minister Julia Gillard fights for a new tax to pay for flood and cyclone reconstruction, a new poll found on Monday.

Australia PM Gillard battens down for disaster fallout

Australia's cruel summer of cyclones and floods could generate a new, devastating political storm for Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who now must buck hostile public opinion to find a way to pay for the clean-up.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard waves to supporters at the Labor Party election headquarters in Melbourne

Australian PM Gillard proposes new “flood tax”

In response to the reconstruction costs associated with the floods that have devastated Queensland and Victoria provinces, the prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, has unveiled a new “flood tax” to help pay for the rebuilding.

Australians may face one-time tax to pay for flood costs

Australians may be hit with a one-time “flood tax” to help pay for the damages wrought by the devastating floods in Queensland and Victoria.

Return to power within grasp for Australia's Gillard

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard came within grasp of a return to power on Thursday after one of four kingmaker MPs backed her Labor Party's bid to form a minority government following last month's dead-heat elections.

Australian PM wins Greens support in govt bid

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard forged an alliance with the Greens party on Wednesday to take her party closer to forming a government, but vowed not to allow the deal to change her plans for a tax on miners' profits.

Australia's Gillard warns of political gridlock

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Tuesday claimed her Labor Party was best placed to run a stable minority government after the election dead heat, warning of political gridlock if a consensus is not found.

Australia poll deadlock no closer to resolution

Australia's opposition leader denied on Friday he was manoeuvring to force the country back to the ballot box after a weekend election delivered a hung parliament, with independents holding the balance of power.

Australians bet on fresh election next year

Australians are betting that a minority government expected to be formed in the next few weeks will not last a full term and fresh elections will be called in 2011, an online bookmaker said on Friday.

Liberals pitch $3.1 billion health, hospital package to Sydney voters

Liberal leader Tony Abbott pitches his $3.1 billion health and hospital package to Sydney voters on Thursday hoping that 2,000 new public hospital beds and extended late-night GP services will sway them to their side before the Aug. 21 elections.

Opposition offering 3,000 beds for aged, nurses warn of healthcare crisis

Opposition leader Tony Abbott has announced that a coalition government will spend $335 million to make available 3,000 more nursing home beds, but nurses and doctors warned this will cause a healthcare crisis.

Australia strikes compromise tax deal with miners

Australia ended a damaging dispute with global miners on Friday by dumping its planned super profits tax for a lower resources rent tax backed by big miners, clearing a major hurdle to calling an early election.

Abbot lambasts new PM's educ for wasting educ funds

Opposition Leader Tony Abbot commented last Sunday that Julia Gillard have managed to waste $8 billion on school halls during her days as deputy prime minister and will not be any different as she takes on her new role as new Prime Minister.

Australia unveils mining tax

Australia's government angered its booming resources sector on Sunday by unveiling a new tax on mining projects from July 2012 under a sweeping pre-election tax overhaul which will also boost pension savings for workers.

Mothers' poll fight over disability scheme

TWO mothers with disabled children have launched a national grassroots movement they hope to turn into one of the most powerful single-issue campaigns in Australian politics.

Rudd pledges no hospital would close

Kevin Rudd has made a pledge that no hospitals will close because of his planned shake-up of health funding and attacked state government bureaucrats for using scare campaigns on the matter.

Australia backs carbon plan, early poll chances cool

Australia promised to press on with its carbon trade plan on Tuesday despite the U.N. climate summit's failure to set emissions targets, but the Copenhagen outcome has cooled chances an early election on climate policy.

Australia carbon laws fail, election possible

Australia's parliament rejected laws to set up a carbon trading scheme on Wednesday, scuttling a key climate change policy of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and providing a potential trigger for an early 2010 election.

Q+A: What happens now to Australia's carbon-trade plan?

The parliamentary defeat of Australia's carbon-trade laws has handed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd a trigger for an election from early 2010 to salvage his emissions trading scheme and key climate policy.