{{Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard set national elections for September 14, stunning voters on Wednesday with eight months notice of the vote in a bold move designed to end political uncertainty surrounding her struggling minority government.}}<\/p>\n
The election date means Gillard’s government will serve a full three-year term, although analysts said the early notice meant she had started an eight-month campaign and lost her ability catch opposition leader Tony Abbott by surprise with a snap early poll.<\/p>\n
“She’s going for the strategy than an incumbent can wear out a fragile, or potentially fragile, opponent with a long campaign. The idea is for them to punch themselves out,” analyst Paul Williams from Griffith University told Reuters.<\/p>\n
“In this case, Tony Abbott and the opposition are so well entrenched it will backfire.”<\/p>\n
Opinion polls show Abbott’s opposition Liberal-National party is well ahead of the government and Gillard would be swept from office, losing up to 18 seats, if an election were held now. <\/p>\n
The government could lose power if it loses just one seat.<\/p>\n
The election will decide whether Australia keeps its controversial carbon tax, and a 30 percent tax on coal and iron ore mining profits, which Abbott has promised to scrap it if he wins power.<\/p>\n
{Reuters}<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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