Australia's ruling coalition was forced into minority government on Saturday after a massive swing against its senior partner, the Liberal Party, in a by-election for the seat of the prime minister the party itself dismissed.
In a stinging backlash from the electorate after the fourth toppling of an Australian leader by internal party vote in just eight years, a swing of more than 20 percent against the sitting Liberals propelled independent candidate Kerryn Phelps to a decisive victory.
The result cost the conservative Liberal-National party coalition its one-seat majority in the House of Representatives, forcing Prime Minister Scott Morrison to rely on deals with independent lawmakers to guarantee confidence in his government, enact legislation and ensure money supply.
Independent candidate Kerryn Phelps, right, is congratulated by supporters as she arrives for a Wentworth by-election evening function at North Bondi Life Saving Club in Sydney, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. Australia's ruling coalition will be forced into minority government after a heavy defeat in a by-election for former Liberal Party Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's old seat. With 15 percent of votes counted Saturday, Liberal candidate Dave Sharma conceded defeat to Phelps. (Chris PavlichAAP Image via AP)
Australian Broadcasting Corp. projections hailed Phelps as the winner after just 9 percent of votes had been counted, forecasting she would gain a 57 percent share of votes on a two-party preferred basis.
Liberal candidate Dave Sharma conceded defeat soon afterward, saying: "Tonight's result has been over a little sooner than I expected. I'm certainly glad I kept my day job."
Of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives, the Liberals now hold 75 seats, including that of the speaker. The opposition Labor Party holds 69, while independents have six.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, left, speaks next to Liberal candidate Dave Sharma at a Liberal Party Wentworth by-election function in Double Bay in Sydney, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. With 15 percent of votes counted Saturday, Sharma conceded defeat to independent candidate Kerryn Phelps.Australia's ruling coalition will be forced into minority government after a heavy defeat in a by-election for former Liberal Party Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's old seat. (Chris PavlichAAP Image via AP)
The by-election was triggered when Malcolm Turnbull quit politics after being deposed as prime minister.
It's the first time in their 117-year history the Liberals have lost the Wentworth seat, showing the depth of voter reaction to Australia's latest change of leadership without its people having a say.
Morrison said that while the loss was not unexpected given indications from opinion polls, his party had received a loud message from voters.
"They have looked at Canberra and the Liberal Party has paid a big price tonight for the events of several months ago," he said, before adding defiantly, "But as a party, we will continue to rise again."
Morrison pledged that his government would continue as usual — even without a majority — when Parliament returns on Monday, promising to work closely with independent lawmakers.
"We will work constructively with all of those who sit on the cross bench as we always have," he said.
Speaking to reporters, Phelps declined to say how she might vote should a no-confidence motion be moved against the government in Parliament, but indicated she wants the government to run its full term, which expires next May.
Phelps, a doctor and former head of the Australian Medical Association, said the result should count as a warning to Australia's lawmakers.
"People have been concerned about the direction of government for a very long time and we've seen a lack of decency, a lack of integrity, and we have to look at what the House of Representatives is about," Phelps said. "It is about representing the people and the people have spoken loud and clear."
The by-election campaign, in a seat with a large Jewish population, drew international attention last week when Morrison raised the prospect of following the United States by relocating Australia's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Morrison said the idea was suggested to him by Liberal candidate Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel.
Slammed by critics as a cynical bid to garner Jewish votes in the by-election, Morrison's statement was welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but sparked concern among Palestinian officials and leaders in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.
DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.
The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.
“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”
Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.
The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.
Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.
“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”
It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.
“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”
Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.
First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”
Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.
“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”
For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.
“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, center, shakes hands John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics, before the start of a news conference where Fisher announced his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4 2024.The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, announces that his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple A team Sacramento River Cats, is shown in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Oakland Athletics announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
