Abbott’s Win Sown in 2010 Loss as Infighting Damages Labor

For two weeks after Australia’s 2010 election failed to produce a winner, Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott raced to form a minority government. While Abbott lost that sprint, he triumphed in the marathon since.

After three years of attacks on the carbon-pricing deal Gillard struck with the Greens to help win office, Abbott’s Liberal-National coalition was on course for the biggest parliamentary majority since at least 2004 in the Sept. 7 election. His victory was cemented by keeping his team united and focusing voters on the Labor government’s disarray, which saw it return Kevin Rudd to the leadership 10 weeks ago.