Economics
Honeymoon Bounce for Turnbull Tested in Special Aussie Election
- Ballot in Western Australia triggered by death of lawmaker
- Vote seen as touchstone of PM's popularity since taking job
This article is for subscribers only.
New Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull faces the first test of his popularity this weekend as his Liberal Party seeks to hold a parliamentary seat in Western Australia in a special election.
The ballot in the seat of Canning was triggered by the death in July of Liberal lawmaker Don Randall, who’d represented the district since 2001. The vote will be a gauge of whether Turnbull has already begun to turn around the party’s fortunes, after ousting Tony Abbott from the top job on Sept. 14.