Coordinates: 32°0′S 147°0′E / 32°S 147°E / -32; 147

New South Wales
Flag Coat of arms
Slogan or nickname: First State, Premier State
Motto(s): "Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites" (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine)
Other Australian states and territories
Capital	Sydney
Demonym	New South Welshmen
Government	Constitutional monarchy
- Governor	Marie Bashir
- Premier	Barry O'Farrell (LP)
Australian State
- Established as Colony	26 January 1788
- Responsible Government	1856
- Became State	1 January 1901
- Australia Act	3 March 1986
Area
- Total	809,444 km2 (5th) 312,528 sq mi
- Land	800,642 km2 309,130 sq mi
- Water	8,802 km2 (1.09%) 3,398 sq mi
Population (End of June 2011[1])
- Population	7,303,700 (1st)
- Density	9.12/km2 (3rd) 23.6 /sq mi
Elevation
- Highest	Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m (7,310 ft)
Gross State Product (2010–11)
- Product ($m)	$419.9 billion[2] (1st)
- Product per capita	$57,828 (4th)
Time zone	UTC+10 (AEST) UTC+11 (AEDT) UTC+9:30 (ACST) (Broken Hill) UTC+10:30 (ACDT) (Broken Hill) UTC+10:30 (LHST) (Lord Howe Island) UTC+11:00 (LHDT) (Lord Howe Island)
Federal representation
- House seats	48/150
- Senate seats	12/76
Abbreviations
- Postal	NSW
- ISO 3166-2	AU-NSW
Emblems
- Floral	Waratah (Telopea speciosissima)
- Animal	Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)
- Bird	Kookaburra (Dacelo gigas)
- Fish	Blue groper (Achoerodus viridis)
- Colours	Sky blue (Pantone 291)
Web site	www.nsw.gov.au

New South Wales and its highways

285 kg (628 lb) gold nugget unearthed in 1872 from Hill End during the Gold Rush

New South Wales (abbreviated as NSW) is a state of Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales encompasses the whole of the Australian Capital Territory. The state capital is Sydney, which is also the state's most populous city. As of June 2010^[update], the estimated population was 7,238,819, which was 34.5% of the population of Australia, making it Australia's most populous state. Inhabitants of New South Wales are referred to as New South Welshmen.

The colony of New South Wales was founded in 1788 and originally comprised much of the Australian mainland, as well as Van Diemen's Land, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, in addition to the area currently referred to as the state of New South Wales, which was formed during Federation in 1901. New Zealand briefly became a part of New South Wales when it was annexed by Britain in 1840.^[3] During the 19th century, large areas were successively separated to form the British colonies of Tasmania (established as a separate colony named Van Diemen's Land in 1825), South Australia (1836), Victoria (1851) and Queensland (1859).

History[link]

Aborigines (indigenous people)[link]

The original inhabitants of the area were Aboriginal tribes who arrived in Australia approximately forty to sixty thousand years ago.

1788 British settlement[link]

The European discovery of New South Wales was made by Captain James Cook during his voyage along the east coast of Australia in 1770. In the journal covering his survey of the eastern coast of the Australian continent, Cook first named the east coast of Australia "New Wales", which he later corrected in his journal to "New South Wales".^[4]

The first British settlement was made by what is known in Australian history as the First Fleet; this was led by Captain Arthur Phillip, who assumed the role of governor of the settlement on arrival in 1788, until 1792.^[5][6]

After years of chaos, anarchy and the overthrow of Governor William Bligh, a new governor, Lieutenant-Colonel (later Major-General) Lachlan Macquarie, was sent from Britain to reform the settlement in 1809.^[7] During his time as governor, Macquarie commissioned the construction of roads, wharves, churches and public buildings, sent explorers out from Sydney and employed a planner to design the street layout of Sydney. Macquarie's legacy is still evident today.

Mid-1800s[link]

During the 19th century, large areas were successively separated to form the British colonies of Tasmania (proclaimed as separate colony named Van Diemen's Land in 1825), South Australia (1836), Victoria (1851) and Queensland (1859). Responsible government was granted to the New South Wales colony in 1855. Following the Treaty of Waitangi, William Hobson declared British sovereignty over New Zealand in 1840. In 1841, is was separated from the Colony of New South Wales to form the new Colony of New Zealand.

Charles Darwin visited Australia in January 1836 and in “The Voyage of the Beagle” (chapter 19 of the 11th edition) records his hesitations about and fascination with New South Wales, including his speculations about the geological origin and formation of the great valleys, the aboriginal population, the situation of the convicts, and the future prospects of the country.

1901 Federation of Australia[link]

At the end of the 19th century, the movement toward federation between the Australian colonies gathered momentum. Conventions and forums involving colony leaders were held on a regular basis. Proponents of New South Wales as a free trade state were in dispute with the other leading colony Victoria, which had a protectionist economy. At this time customs posts were common on borders, even on the Murray River.

Travelling from NSW to Victoria in those days would have been very similar to travelling from NSW to New Zealand today. Supporters of federation included the NSW premier Sir Henry Parkes whose 1889 Tenterfield Speech (given in Tenterfield) was pivotal in gathering support for NSW involvement. Edmund Barton, later to become Australia's first Prime Minister, was another strong advocate for federation and a meeting held in Corowa in 1893 drafted an initial constitution.

In 1898 popular referendums on the proposed federation were held in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. All votes resulted in a majority in favour, but the NSW government under Premier George Reid (popularly known as "yes–no Reid" because of his constant changes of opinion on the issue) had set a requirement for a higher "yes" vote than just a simple majority which was not met.

In 1899 further referendums were held in the same states as well as Queensland (but not Western Australia). All resulted in yes votes with majorities increased from the previous year. NSW met the conditions its government had set for a yes vote. As a compromise to the question on where the capital was to be located, an agreement was made that the site was to be within NSW but not closer than 100 miles (161 km) from Sydney, while the provisional capital would be Melbourne. Eventually the area that now forms the Australian Capital Territory was ceded by NSW when Canberra was selected.

Early 20th century[link]

In the years after World War I, the high prices enjoyed during the war fell with the resumption of international trade, and farmers became increasingly discontented with the fixed prices paid by the compulsory marketing authorities set up as a wartime measure by the Hughes government. In 1919 the farmers formed the Country Party, led at national level by Earle Page, a doctor from Grafton, and at state level by Michael Bruxner, a small farmer from Tenterfield.

The Great Depression which began in 1929 ushered a period of political and class conflict in New South Wales. The mass unemployment and collapse of commodity prices brought ruin to both city workers and to farmers. The beneficiary of the resultant discontent was not the Communist Party, which remained small and weak, but Jack Lang's Labor populism. Lang's second government was elected in November 1930 on a policy of repudiating New South Wales' debt to British bondholders and using the money instead to help the unemployed through public works. This was denounced as illegal by conservatives, and also by James Scullin's federal Labor government. The result was that Lang's supporters in the federal Caucus brought down Scullin's government, causing a second bitter split in the Labor Party. In May 1932 the Governor, Sir Philip Game dismissed his government. The subsequent election was won by the conservative opposition.

Japanese POW camp in Cowra, 1944, several weeks before the Cowra breakout

By the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the differences between New South Wales and the other states that had emerged in the 19th century had faded as a result of federation and economic development behind a wall of protective tariffs.^{[citation needed]} New South Wales continued to outstrip Victoria as the centre of industry, and increasingly of finance and trade as well.^{[citation needed]} Labor returned to office under the moderate leadership of William McKell in 1941 and stayed in power for 24 years. World War II saw another surge in industrial development to meet the needs of a war economy, and also the elimination of unemployment.

Post-war period[link]

Labor stayed in power until 1965. Towards the end of its term in power it announced a plan for the construction of an opera/arts facility on Bennelong Point. The design competition was won by Jørn Utzon. Controversy over the cost of what would eventually become the Sydney Opera House became a political issue and was a factor in the eventual defeat of Labor in 1965 by the conservative Liberal Party led by Sir Robert Askin. Sir Robert remains a controversial figure with supporters claiming him to be reformist especially in terms of reshaping the NSW economy. Others though, regard the Askin era as synonymous with corruption with Askin the head of a network involving NSW police and SP bookmaking (Goot).

In the late 1960s, a secessionist movement in the New England region of the state led to a referendum on the issue. The new state would have consisted of much of northern NSW including Newcastle. The referendum was narrowly defeated and, as of 2010^[update], there are no active or organised campaigns for new states in NSW.

Askin's resignation in 1975 was followed by a number of short lived premierships by Liberal Party leaders. When a general election came in 1976 the ALP under Neville Wran were returned to power. Wran was able to transform this narrow one seat victory into landslide wins (known as Wranslide) in 1978 and 1981.^{[citation needed]}

The Sydney Opera House was completed in 1973 and has become a World Heritage Site.

After winning a comfortable though reduced majority in 1984, Wran resigned as premier and left parliament. His replacement Barrie Unsworth struggled to emerge from Wran's shadow and lost a 1988 election against a resurgent Liberal Party led by Nick Greiner. Unsworth was replaced as ALP leader by Bob Carr. Initially Greiner was a popular leader instigating reform such as the creation of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Greiner called a snap election in 1991 which the Liberals were expected to win. However the ALP polled extremely well and the Liberals lost their majority and needed the support of independents to retain power.

Greiner was accused (by ICAC) of corrupt actions involving an allegation that a government position was offered to tempt an independent (who had defected from the Liberals) to resign his seat so that the Liberal party could regain it and shore up its numbers. Greiner resigned but was later cleared of corruption. His replacement as Liberal leader and Premier was John Fahey whose government secured Sydney the right to host the 2000 Summer Olympics. In the 1995 election, Fahey's government lost narrowly and the ALP under Bob Carr returned to power.

Like Wran before him Carr was able to turn a narrow majority into landslide wins at the next two elections (1999 and 2003). During this era, NSW hosted the 2000 Sydney Olympics which were internationally regarded as very successful, and helped boost Carr's popularity. Carr surprised most people by resigning from office in 2005. He was replaced by Morris Iemma, who remained Premier after being re-elected in the March 2007 state election, until he was replaced by Nathan Rees in September 2008.^[8] Rees was subsequently replaced by Kristina Keneally in December 2009.^[9] Keneally's government was defeated at the 2011 state election and Barry O'Farrell became Premier on 28 March.

Government[link]

New South Wales Parliament House

Executive authority is vested in the Governor of New South Wales, who represents and is appointed by Queen Elizabeth II. The current Governor is Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir. The Governor commissions as Premier the leader of the parliamentary political party that can command a simple majority of votes in the Legislative Assembly. The Premier then recommends the appointment of other Members of the two Houses to the Ministry, under the principle of responsible or Westminster government. It should be noted, however, that as in other Westminster systems, there is no constitutional requirement in NSW for the Government to be formed from the Parliament—merely convention. The Premier is Barry O'Farrell of the Liberal Party.^[9]

Constitution[link]

The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then. Since 1901 New South Wales has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Australian Constitution regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth.

Under the Australian Constitution, New South Wales ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained independence in all other areas. The New South Wales Constitution says: "The Legislature shall, subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, have power to make laws for the peace, welfare, and good government of New South Wales in all cases whatsoever."

Parliament[link]

The State Parliament is composed of the Sovereign and two houses: the Legislative Assembly (lower house), and the Legislative Council (upper house). Elections are held every four years on the fourth Saturday of March, the most recent being on 26 March 2011. At each election one member is elected to the Legislative Assembly from each of 93 electoral districts and half of the 42 members of the Legislative Council are elected by a statewide electorate.

Local government[link]

New South Wales is divided into 152 Local Government Areas. In addition, there is also the Unincorporated Far West Region which is not part of any local government area, in the sparsely inhabited Far West, and Lord Howe Island, which is also unincorporated but self-governed by the Lord Howe Island Board.

Emergency services[link]

New South Wales is policed by the New South Wales Police Force, a statutory authority. Established in 1862, the NSW Police Force investigates Summary and Indictable offences throughout the State of New South Wales. The state has two fire services: the volunteer based New South Wales Rural Fire Service, which is responsible for the majority of the state, and the Fire and Rescue NSW, a government agency responsible for protecting urban areas. There is some overlap due to suburbanisation. Ambulance services are provided through the Ambulance Service of New South Wales. Rescue services (i.e. vertical, road crash, confinement) are a joint effort by all emergency services, with Ambulance Rescue, Police Rescue Squad and Fire Rescue Units contributing. Volunteer rescue organisations include the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, State Emergency Service (SES), Surf Life Saving New South Wales and Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA).

Demographics[link]

Population[link]

The estimated population of New South Wales at the end of June 2010 was 7.24 million people. The population grew by 1.5% over the preceding year,^[10] lower than the national rate of 1.7%.

62.9% of NSW's population is based in Sydney.^[11]

A view of the Sydney CBD from The Domain

A portion of the eastern end of the Newcastle foreshore

Lookout over Wollongong from the Illawarra escarpment

Transport[link]

New South Wales is vital for cross-continent transport. Rail and road traffic from Brisbane (Queensland) to Perth (Western Australia), or to Melbourne (Victoria) must pass through New South Wales.

Railways[link]

The majority of railways in New South Wales are currently operated by the state government. Some lines began as branch-lines of railways starting in other states. For instance, Balranald near the Victorian border was connected by a rail line coming up from Victoria and into New South Wales. Another line beginning in Adelaide crossed over the border and stopped at Broken Hill.

Railways management is conducted by RailCorp^[13] which builds railways and maintains rolling stock. It operates trains within Sydney-Wollongong-Newcastle under the name CityRail.^[14] It operates country and interstate services under the CountryLink^[15] badge.

Roads[link]

Major roads are the concern of both federal and state governments. The latter maintains these through the Department of Roads and Maritime Services formerly the Roads and Traffic Authority and before that Department of Main Roads (DMR).

The main roads in New South Wales are

• Hume Highway linking Sydney to Melbourne;
• Princes Highway linking Sydney to Melbourne via the Tasman Sea coast;
• Pacific Highway linking Sydney to Brisbane via the Pacific coast;
• New England Highway running from the Pacific Highway, at Newcastle to Brisbane by an inland route;
• Federal Highway running from the Hume Highway south of Goulburn to Canberra;
• Sturt Highway running from the Hume Highway near Gundagai to Adelaide (South Australia);
• Newell Highway linking rural Victoria with Queensland, passing through the centre of New South Wales;
• Great Western Highway linking Sydney with Bathurst. As Route 32 it continues west as the Mitchell Highway then as the Barrier Highway to Adelaide via Broken Hill.

Other roads are usually the concern of the RTA and/or the local government authority.

Air[link]

Kingsford Smith Airport (commonly Sydney Airport, and locally and erroneously referred to as Mascot Airport), located in the southern Sydney suburb of Mascot is the major airport for not just the state but the whole nation. It is a hub for Australia's national airline Qantas.

Other airlines serving regional New South Wales include:^[16]

• Aeropelican Air Services^[17]
• Brindabella Airlines^[18]
• Jetstar Airways^[19]
• Regional Express (also known as Rex);^[20]
• Virgin Australia^[21] (formerly known as Virgin Blue Airlines).

Ferries[link]

The state government through Sydney Ferries operates ferries within Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River. It also has a ferry service within Newcastle.^[22] All other ferry services are privately operated.^[23]

Spirit of Tasmania ran a commercial ferry service between Sydney and Devonport, Tasmania. This service was terminated in 2006.^[24]

Private boat services operated between South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales along the Murray and Darling Rivers but these only exist now as the occasional tourist paddle-wheeler service.^[25]

Education[link]

The Sydney Grammar School, established in 1854, is the oldest secondary school still in use in Sydney CBD.

Primary and secondary[link]

The NSW school system comprises a kindergarten to year twelve system with primary schooling up to year 6 and secondary schooling between year 7 and 12. Schooling is compulsory until age 17.^[26]

Primary and secondary schools include government and non-government schools. Government schools are further classified as comprehensive and selective schools. Non-government schools include Catholic schools, other denominational schools, and non-denominational independent schools.

Typically, a primary school provides education from kindergarten level to year 6. A secondary school, usually called a "high school", provides education from years 7 to 12. Secondary colleges are secondary schools which only cater for years 11 and 12.

The government classifies the 13 years of primary and secondary schooling into six stages, beginning with early stage 1 (Kindergarten) and ending with stage 6 (years 11 and 12).

School Certificate[link]

The School Certificate was awarded by the Board of Studies to students at the end of Year 10. The Board of Studies administered five external tests in English-literacy, Mathematics, Science, Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship. The tests were designed to grade a student on their ability. The results of this test were categorised into bands 1 through to 6 with band 1 as the lowest and band 6 as the highest.^[27] Adrian Piccoli the NSW Education Minister confirmed that School Certificate tests would not continue after 2011.^[28]

Higher School Certificate[link]

The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is the usual Year 12 leaving certificate in NSW. Most students complete the HSC prior to entering the workforce or going on to study at university or TAFE (although the HSC itself can be completed at TAFE). The HSC must be completed for a student to get an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (formerly Universities Admission Index), which determines the students rank against fellow students who completed the Higher School Certificate.

Tertiary[link]

Eleven universities primarily operate in New South Wales. Sydney is home to Australia's first university, the University of Sydney, founded in 1850, as well as the University of New South Wales, Macquarie University, the University of Technology, Sydney and the University of Western Sydney. The Australian Catholic University has two of its six campuses in Sydney, and the private University of Notre Dame Australia also operates a secondary campus in the city.

Outside Sydney, the leading universities are the University of Newcastle and the University of Wollongong. Armidale is home to the University of New England, and Charles Sturt University and Southern Cross University have campuses spread across cities in the state's south-west and north coast respectively.

The public universities are state government agencies, however they are largely regulated by the federal government, which also administers their public funding. Admission to NSW universities is arranged together with universities in the Australian Capital Territory by another government agency, the Universities Admission Centre.

Primarily vocational training is provided up the level of advanced diplomas is provided by the state government's ten Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes. These institutes run courses in over 130 campuses throughout the state.

Geography and ecology[link]

New South Wales is bordered on the north by Queensland, on the west by South Australia, on the south by Victoria and on the east by the Tasman Sea. The Australian Capital Territory and the Jervis Bay Territory are Federal enclaves of New South Wales. The state can be divided geographically into four areas. New South Wales' three largest cities, Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, lie near the centre of a narrow coastal strip extending from cool temperate areas on the far south coast to subtropical areas near the Queensland border.

Byron Bay beach in northern New South Wales

The Illawarra region is centred on the city of Wollongong, with the Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and the Sapphire Coast to the south. The Central Coast lies between Sydney and Newcastle, with the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions reaching northwards to the Queensland border. Tourism is important to the economies of coastal towns such as Coffs Harbour, Lismore, Nowra and Port Macquarie, but the region also produces seafood, beef, dairy, fruit, sugar cane and timber.

The Great Dividing Range extends from Victoria in the south through New South Wales to Queensland, parallel to the narrow coastal plain. This area includes the Snowy Mountains, the Northern, Central and Southern Tablelands, the Southern Highlands and the South West Slopes. Whilst not particularly steep, many peaks of the range rise above 1,000 metres (3,281 ft), with the highest Mount Kosciuszko at 2,229 m (7,313 ft). Skiing in Australia began in this region at Kiandra around 1861. The relatively short ski season underwrites the tourist industry in the Snowy Mountains. Agriculture, particularly the wool industry, is important throughout the highlands. Major centres include Armidale, Bathurst, Bowral, Goulburn, Inverell, Orange, Queanbeyan and Tamworth.

There are numerous forests in New South Wales, with such tree species as Red Gum Eucalyptus and Crow Ash (Flindersia australis), being represented.^[29] Forest floors have a diverse set of understory shrubs and fungi. One of the widespread fungi is Witch's Butter (Tremella mesenterica).^[30]

The western slopes and plains fill a significant portion of the state's area and have a much sparser population than areas nearer the coast. Agriculture is central to the economy of the western slopes, particularly the Riverina region and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area in the state's south-west. Regional cities such as Albury, Dubbo, Griffith and Wagga Wagga and towns such as Deniliquin, Leeton and Parkes exist primarily to service these agricultural regions. The western slopes descend slowly to the western plains that comprise almost two-thirds of the state and are largely arid or semi-arid. The mining town of Broken Hill is the largest centre in this area.^[31]

One possible definition of the centre for New South Wales is located 33 kilometres (21 mi) west-north-west of Tottenham.^[32]

Climate[link]

Over half of New South Wales is arid to semi arid. However, most areas in the eastern portion have a temperate climate, ranging from humid subtropical to the northern coast and oceanic to the southern coast. The Snowy Mountains region in the south-east falls in the alpine climate/highland climate zone, with cool to cold weather all year around and snowfalls in the winter.

The climate is generally mild and mostly free from extremes of heat and cold, though very high temperatures occur in the northwest and very cold temperatures on the Southern Tablelands. The climate of the coast is influenced by the warm waters of the Tasman Sea, which usually keep the region free from extremes of temperature and provide moisture to increase rainfall; the annual rainfall ranges from about 750 millimetres (30 in) in the south to 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in the north. In the far northwest, the hottest temperatures in the State mostly occur, and where the annual mean rainfall drops below 200 millimetres (8 in).^[33]

The highest maximum temperature recorded was 49.7 °C (121 °F) at Menindee in the state's west on 10 January 1939. The lowest minimum temperature was −23 °C (−9 °F) at Charlotte Pass in the Snowy Mountains on 29 June 1994. This is also the lowest temperature recorded in the whole of Australia excluding the Antarctic Territory.^[34]

Economy[link]

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an important tourist attraction for New South Wales.

Port Kembla is notable for its steelworks industry, with many ships utilising the port.

Since the 1970s, New South Wales has undergone an increasingly rapid economic and social transformation.^{[citation needed]} Old industries such as steel and shipbuilding have largely disappeared; although agriculture remains important, its share of the state's income is smaller than ever before.^{[citation needed]}

New industries such as information technology and financial services are largely centred in Sydney and have risen to take their place, with many companies having their Australian headquarters in Sydney CBD.^{[citation needed]} In addition, the Macquarie Park area of Sydney has attracted the Australian headquarters of many information technology firms.

Coal and related products are the state's biggest export. Its value to the state's economy is over A$5 billion, accounting for about 19% of all exports from NSW.^[35]

Tourism has also become important, with Sydney as its centre, also stimulating growth on the North Coast, around Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay.^{[citation needed]} Tourism is worth over $40 billion to the New South Wales economy and employs 4.8% of the workforce.^[36] In 2007, then-Premier of New South Wales Morris Iemma established Events New South Wales to "market Sydney and NSW as a leading global events destination".

New South Wales had a Gross State Product in 2010–11 (equivalent to Gross Domestic Product) of $419.9 billion which equalled $57,828 per capita.^[37]

On 9 October 2007, NSW announced plans to build a 1,000 MW bank of wind powered turbines. The output of these is anticipated to be able to power up to 400,000 homes. The cost of this project will be $1.8 billion for 500 turbines.^[38] On 28 August 2008, the New South Wales cabinet voted to privatise electricity retail, causing 1,500 electrical workers to strike after a large anti-privatisation campaign.^[39]

The NSW business community is represented by the NSW Business Chamber which has 30,000 members.

Agriculture[link]

The Hunter Valley is known for its wineries.

Agriculture is spread throughout the eastern two-thirds of New South Wales. Cattle, sheep and pigs are the predominant types of livestock produced in NSW and they have been present since their importation during the earliest days of European settlement. Economically the state is the most important state in Australia, with about one-third of the country's sheep, one-fifth of its cattle, and one-third of its small number of pigs. New South Wales produces a large share of Australia's hay, fruit, legumes, lucerne, maize, nuts, wool, wheat, oats, oilseeds (about 51%), poultry, rice (about 99%),^[40] vegetables, fishing including oyster farming, and forestry including wood chips.^[41] Bananas and sugar are grown chiefly in the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed River areas.

Wools are produced on the Northern Tablelands as well as prime lambs and beef cattle. The cotton industry is centred in the Namoi Valley in northwestern New South Wales. On the central slopes there are many orchards, with the principal fruits grown being apples, cherries and pears.

Approximately 40,200 ha of vineyards lie across the eastern region of the state, with excellent wines produced in the Hunter Valley, with the Riverina being the largest wine producer in New South Wales.^[42] Australia’s largest and most valuable Thoroughbred horse breeding area is centred on Scone in the Hunter Valley.^[43] The Hunter Valley is the home of the world famous Coolmore,^[44] Darley and Kia-Ora Thoroughbred horse studs.

About half of Australia's timber production is in New South Wales. Large areas of the state are now being replanted with eucalyptus forests.

National parks[link]

New South Wales has more than 780 national parks and reserves covering more than 8% of the state.^[45] These parks range from rainforests, spectacular waterfalls, rugged bush to marine wonderlands and outback deserts, including World Heritage areas.^[46]

The Royal National Park on the southern outskirts of Sydney became Australia's first National Park when proclaimed on 26 April 1879. Originally named The National Park until 1955, this park was the second National Park to be established in the world after Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. Kosciuszko National Park is the largest park in state encompassing New South Wales' alpine region.^[47]

The National Parks Association was formed in 1957 to create a system of national parks all over New South Wales which lead to the formation of the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 1967.^[48] This government agency is responsible for developing and maintaining the parks and reserve system, and conserving natural and cultural heritage, in the state of New South Wales. These parks preserve special habitats, plants and wildlife, such as the Wollemi National Park where the Wollemi Pine grows and areas sacred to Australian Aboriginals such as Mutawintji National Park in western New South Wales.

Sport[link]

ANZ Stadium, Sydney – home of the NRL Grand Final

Throughout Australian history, NSW sporting teams have been very successful in both winning domestic competitions and providing players to the Australian national teams.

The largest sporting competition in the state is the National Rugby League, which expanded from the New South Wales Rugby League and Australian Rugby Leagues whose headquarters are in Sydney. The state is represented by the The 'Blues' in the traditional State of Origin series. Sydney is the spiritual home of Australian rugby league and to 9 of the 16 NRL teams: (Sydney Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Parramatta Eels, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Wests Tigers, Penrith Panthers, Canterbury Bulldogs and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles), as well as being the northern home of the St George Illawarra Dragons, which is half-based in Wollongong. A tenth team, the Newcastle Knights is located in Newcastle. The City vs Country origin match is also taken to various regional cities around the state.

The Bathurst 1000, held at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst

The state is represented by three teams in football (soccer)'s A-League: Sydney FC (the inaugural champions in 2005–06), the Central Coast Mariners, based at Gosford and the Newcastle United Jets (2007–08 A League Champions). Football has the highest number of registered players in New South Wales of any football code.^[49] Australian rules football has historically not been strong in New South Wales outside the Riverina region. However, the Sydney Swans relocated from South Melbourne in 1982 and their presence and success since the late 1990s has raised the profile of Australian rules football, especially after their AFL premiership in 2005. A second NSW AFL club, located in Western Sydney, will enter the competition in 2012. Other teams in national competitions include basketball's Sydney Kings, Sydney Uni Flames, rugby union's NSW Waratahs and netball's Sydney Swifts.

The Sydney Cricket Ground at the 4th Australia vs India test, 2004

Sydney was the host of the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 1938 British Empire Games. The Olympic Stadium, now known as ANZ Stadium is the scene of the annual NRL Grand Final. It also regularly hosts State of Origin matches and rugby union internationals, and has recently hosted the final of the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the football World Cup qualifier between Australia and Uruguay.

The main summer sport is cricket and the SCG hosts the 'New Year' cricket Test match from 2–6 January each year, and is also one of the sites for the finals of the One Day International series. The NSW Blues play in the Ford Ranger Cup and Sheffield Shield cricket competitions. The annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race begins in Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day. The climax of Australia's touring car racing series is the Bathurst 1000, held near the city of Bathurst.

The popular equine sports of campdrafting and polocrosse were developed in New South Wales and competitions are now held across Australia. Polocrosse is now played in many overseas countries.

Culture[link]

The Big Golden Guitar in Tamworth represents the city's country music culture.

As Australia's most populous state, New South Wales is home to a number of cultural institutions of importance to the nation. In music, New South Wales is home to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australia's busiest and largest orchestra. Australia's largest opera company, Opera Australia, is headquartered in Sydney. Both of these organisations perform a subscription series at the Sydney Opera House. Other major musical bodies include the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Sydney is host to the Australian Ballet for its Sydney season (the ballet is headquartered in Melbourne). Apart from the Sydney Opera House, major musical performance venues include the City Recital Hall and the Sydney Town Hall.

New South Wales is home to a number of major art galleries. The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), houses a significant collection of Australian art, while the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney focuses on contemporary art.

Major museums include the natural history-focussed Australian Museum, the technology and arts-and-crafts focussed Powerhouse Museum, the Sydney Maritime Museum which focuses on Australia's maritime history, and the history-focussed Museum of Sydney. Other museums include the Sydney Jewish Museum.

Sydney is home to five Arts teaching organisations which have all produced world famous students: The National Art School, The College of Fine Arts, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), the Australian School of Film, Radio and Television and the Conservatorium of Music (now part of the University of Sydney).

New South Wales has been the backdrop of many international films, including Mission: Impossible II (shot in Sydney), and Mad Max 2 (known in the US as The Road Warrior), (shot in outback New South Wales, around Broken Hill).

20th Century Fox operates Fox Studios Australia in Sydney.

See also[link]

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• Geology of New South Wales
• NSW Volunteer of the Year
• Postage stamps and postal history of New South Wales
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• Territorial evolution of Australia

References[link]

External links[link]

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The Honourable Tony Abbott MP
32nd Leader of the Opposition Elections: 2010
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 December 2009
Deputy	Julie Bishop
Preceded by	Malcolm Turnbull
Minister for Health and Ageing
In office 7 October 2003 – 3 December 2007
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Kay Patterson
Succeeded by	Nicola Roxon
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
In office 26 November 2001 – 7 October 2003
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Himself (Employment and Workplace Relations)
Succeeded by	Kevin Andrews
Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business
In office 30 January 2001 – 26 November 2001
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Peter Reith
Succeeded by	Himself (Employment and Workplace Relations) Ian Macfarlane (Small Business)
Minister for Employment Services
In office 21 October 1998 – 30 January 2001
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Chris Ellison
Succeeded by	Mal Brough
Member of the Australian Parliament for Warringah
Incumbent
Assumed office 26 March 1994
Preceded by	Michael MacKellar
Majority	22,252 (13.1%)[1]
Personal details
Born	Anthony John Abbott (1957-11-04) 4 November 1957 (age 54) London, United Kingdom
Political party	Liberal Party
Spouse(s)	Margaret Abbott
Children	3 daughters (Louise, Bridget and Frances)
Residence	Forestville
Alma mater	St John's College, University of Sydney Queen's College, Oxford St Patrick's Seminary, Manly
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Website	Official website

Anthony John "Tony" Abbott (born 4 November 1957) is the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives and federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott has represented the seat of Warringah since the 1994 by-election.

Prior to entering the Australian Parliament, Abbott studied for a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws at Sydney University and for a Master of Arts as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. He later trained as a seminarian and worked as a journalist, business manager, political advisor and Executive Director of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy. Abbott has also been an author, ultramarathon runner and member of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.

Abbott served in the Howard Government as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs from 1996-1998 and Minister for Employment Services from 1998-2001. He joined the Howard Cabinet in 2001 as Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. Following the 2001 Election, he took on the additional roles of Leader of the House of Representatives and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service. In 2003 he became Minister for Health and Ageing , retaining this position and his role as Leader of the House until the defeat of the Howard government at the 2007 federal election.

Following the 2007 election he was appointed to Brendan Nelson's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs and the Voluntary Sector. He resigned from this position in Malcolm Turnbull's shadow cabinet on 26 November 2009 in protest against Liberal Party support for the Rudd Government's proposed Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).^[2] Following a spill motion, Abbott defeated Turnbull 42 votes to 41 in a party leadership ballot, becoming Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition.

Abbott led the Liberal-National Opposition to the 2010 federal election, which resulted in a hung parliament. The incumbent Labor government led by Julia Gillard, formed a minority government after gaining the support of an Australian Greens MP and three independent MPs. Abbott was re-elected unopposed to the party leadership following the election.^[3][4]

Early life and family[link]

Abbott was born in London, England on 4 November 1957 to expatriate Australian parents.^[5][6] On 7 September 1960, his family moved to Australia on the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme ship Oronsay.^[7] His mother was an Australian citizen and his father had lived in Australia since 1940 when he arrived as a 16 year old to get away from the dangers of wartime Britain.^{[citation needed]} His father trained in dentistry and then returned to England.^{[citation needed]} His family first lived in the Sydney suburbs of Bronte and later moved to Chatswood. Abbott attended primary school at St Aloysius' College at Milson's Point, before completing his secondary school education at St Ignatius' College, Riverview in Sydney (both are Jesuit schools).^[8] He graduated with a Bachelor of Economics (BEc) and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB)^[5] from the University of Sydney where he resided at St John's College, and was president of the Student Representative Council.^[9] He then travelled via India to Britain to study at Queen's College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, where he graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) in Politics and Philosophy.^[10] Following his time in Britain, he returned to Australia via Africa and advised his family of an intention to join the priesthood. He subsequently entered St. Patrick's Seminary at Manly, in Sydney.^[11]

During his university days, Abbott gained media attention for his political stance opposing the then dominant left-wing student leadership. On one occasion he was even beaten up at a university conference.^[11] A student newspaper editor with political views opposed to those of Abbott took him to court for indecent assault after he touched her during a student debate. The charges against Abbott were dismissed by the court.^[12] According to the Sun-Herald newspaper, it was "an ugly and often violent time", and Abbott's tactics in student politics were like "an aggressive terrier".^[13] He was also a prominent student boxer. ^[14]

Beyond his involvement in student politics, biographer Michael Duffy, wrote that during his student days he once "saved a child who was swept out to sea. Another time, helped save children from a burning house next to a pub where he was drinking. On each occasion he disappeared before he could be properly thanked".^[15]

When Abbott was 19, his girlfriend became pregnant and believed Abbott to be the biological father. The couple did not marry and put the child up for adoption. For 27 years, Abbott believed that he fathered this child.^[16] In 2004, the boy sought out his biological mother and it was publicly revealed that the child had become an ABC sound recordist who worked in Parliament House, Canberra, and was involved in making television programs in which Abbott appeared.^[17] The story was reported around the world, but DNA testing later revealed that Abbott was not the man's father.^[18]

In 1984, aged 26, Abbott entered St Patrick's Seminary, Manly.^[11] At high school, Abbott had been taught and influenced by the Jesuits, a liberal Catholic religious order, and nominates Fr. Emmett Costello SJ as a significant mentor. At university, he encountered B. A. Santamaria, a noted Catholic political activist who had led a movement against Communism within the Australian trade union movement and Labor Party a generation earlier.^[11] Abbott did not complete his studies at the seminary however, quitting the institution in 1987. His Catholic background and the fact that an "abbott" is a title for the leader of a monastery contributed to the invention of the nickname "The Mad Monk" for Tony Abbott during his later political career.^[19]

Following his departure from the seminary, Abbott married, worked in journalism, briefly ran a concrete plant and began to get involved in national politics.^[11]

Throughout his time as a student and seminarian, Abbott was writing articles for newspapers and magazines—first for the Sydney University Newspaper, and later The Catholic Weekly and national publications like The Bulletin. He eventually became a journalist and wrote for The Australian.^[9]

In 1987, Abbott met his wife Margaret Aitken, with whom he has three daughters (Louise, Bridget and Frances).^[9][20]

Political career[link]

Entry[link]

Abbott began public life as a journalist for The Bulletin, an influential news magazine, and The Australian Newspaper.^[9] While deciding his future career path, Abbott had developed friendships in the NSW Labor Party right and was encouraged by Labor's Johno Johnson and ministers in the Unsworth Government, including Bob Carr, to join the Labor Party and run for office. Abbott was uncomfortable with the role of Unions in the party however and wrote in his biography that ultimately Labor "just wasn't the party for me".^[21] For a time he was a plant manager for Pioneer Concrete before becoming press secretary to the Liberal Leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson from 1990 to 1993 and working on the Fightback! policy.^[9] Between 1993 and 1994 he was the Executive Director of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (ACM).^[5] According to biographer Michael Duffy, Abbott's involvement with ACM "strengthened his relationship with John Howard [of the Liberal Party], who in 1994 suggested he seek pre-selection for a byelection in the seat of Warringah.^[22]

Despite his conservative leanings, Abbott has acknowledged he voted for Labor in the 1988 NSW state election as he thought "Barrie Unsworth was the best deal Premier that New South Wales had ever had." Nevertheless, Abbott then clarified that he has never voted for Labor in a federal election.^[23]

Member of Parliament and Minister in Howard Government[link]

Abbott was elected to the Australian House of Representatives for the Division of Warringah at a by-election in March 1994 following the resignation of Michael MacKellar. He served as the parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (1996–98), Minister for Employment Services (1998–2001), Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Small Business (2001), Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (2001–03) and Minister for Health and Ageing from 2003 to November 2007. From late 2001 to November 2007, he was also Manager of Government Business in the House of Representatives.^[24]

As a Parliamentary Secretary, Abbott oversaw the establishment of the Green Corps program which involved young people in environmental restoration work.^[25][26] As Minister for Employment Services, he oversaw the implementation of the Job Network and was responsible for the government's Work for the Dole scheme.^{[27][28][29][30][30][31]} He also commissioned the Cole Royal Commission into "thuggery and rorts" in the construction industry and created the Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner in response and to lift productivity.^[32][33]

The Liberal Party allowed members a free choice in the 1999 republic referendum. Abbott was one of the leading voices within the Party campaigning for the successful "No" vote, pitting him against future Parliamentary colleague and leading Republican Malcolm Turnbull^[34][35]

When Abbott was promoted to Cabinet in 2000, Prime Minister Howard described him as an effective performer with an endearing style, whereas the Opposition described him as a "bomb thrower."^[29] Howard appointed Abbott to the key Health Portfolio in 2003, during a period of contentious Medicare reform and a crisis in Medical Indemnity Insurance, which was forcing doctors out of practice.^[36][37] Abbott worked with the states to address the crisis and keep the system running.^[33]

Abbott was involved in controversy in 2006 for opposing access to the abortion drug RU486, and the Parliament voted to strip Health Ministers of the power to regulate this area of policy.^[38] He introduced the Medicare Safety Net to cap the annual out-of-pocket costs of Medicare cardholders to a maximum amount. In 2007 he attracted criticism over long delays in funding for cancer diagnostic equipment (PET scanners).^{[39][40][41][42]}

According to Sydney Morning Herald Political Editor Peter Hartcher, prior to the defeat of the Howard Government at the Australian Federal Election, 2007, Abbott had opposed the Government's centrepiece Workchoices industrial relations deregulation reform in Cabinet, on the basis that the legislation exceeded the government's mandate; was harsh on workers; and was politically dangerous to the government.^[33]

Abbott campaigned as Minister for Health at the 2007 Election. On 31 October, he apologised for saying 'just because a person is sick doesn't mean that he is necessarily pure of heart in all things', after Bernie Banton, (an asbestos campaigner and terminal mesothelioma sufferer) called him 'gutless' for not being present to collect a petition.^[43]

During his career as a Minister, Abbott acquired a reputation as a robust parliamentary debater and political tactician.^[44][45]

Action against the One Nation party[link]

In 1998, Abbott established a trust fund called "Australians for Honest Politics Trust" to help bankroll civil court cases against the One Nation party and its founders, Pauline Hanson and David Ettridge.^[46] Prosecution resulted in Hanson & Ettridge being imprisoned.^[47] The conviction against Hanson was ultimately overturned, leading to criticism of a range of politicians for political interference by the adjudicating justice.^{[citation needed]}

Post Howard Government: shadow minister[link]

After the Coalition lost government in 2007 and he lost his health portfolio, in opposition Abbott was re-elected to the seat of Warringah with a 1.79% swing toward the Labor Party.^[48] Following Peter Costello's rejection of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party, Abbott nominated for the position of party leader, along with Malcolm Turnbull and Brendan Nelson. After canvassing the support of his colleagues, Abbott decided to withdraw his nomination. He seemingly did not have the numbers, noting that he was "obviously very closely identified with the outgoing prime minister."^[49] He also said he would not rule out contesting the leadership at some time in the future.^[50]

In December 2007, Abbott was assigned the Shadow Portfolio of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.^[51] As indigenous affairs spokesman, Abbott said that it had been a mistake for the Howard Government not to offer a National Apology to the Stolen Generations.;^[52] spent time teaching at remote Aboriginal communities;^[53] and argued for the Rudd Government to continue the Northern Territory National Emergency Response which restricted alcohol and introduced conditional welfare in certain Aboriginal communities.^[54]

During this period in Opposition, Abbott wrote Battlelines - a biography and reflection on his thoughts on the Howard Government, and a discussion of potential future policy directions for the Liberal Party.^[55] In the book, Abbott said that in certain aspects the Australian Federation was 'dysfunctional' and in need of repair. He recommended the establishment of local hospital and School boards to manage health and education;^[56] and discussed family law reform; multiculuralism, climate change; and international relations. The book received a favourable review from former Labor Party speech writer Bob Ellis, and The Australian described it as 'read almost universally as Abbott's intellectual application for the party's leadership after the Turnbull experiment'.^[57][58]

The number of unauthorised boat arrivals to Australia increased in Australia during 2008.^[59] Abbott claimed that this was an effect of the Rudd Government's easing of border protection laws and accused Kevin Rudd of ineptitude and hypocrisy on the issue of boat arrivals, particularly during the Oceanic Viking affair of October 2009, and said "John Howard found a problem and created a solution. Kevin Rudd found a solution and has now created a problem".^[60]

In November 2009, Abbott resigned from shadow ministerial responsibilities due to the Liberal Party's position on the government's Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), leading to the resignation of other shadow ministers.^[61]

Leader of the Opposition[link]

On 1 December 2009, Abbott was elected to the position of Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia over Malcolm Turnbull and Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey (See 2009 Liberal Leadership ballot). Abbott proposed blocking the Rudd Government's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in the Senate whereas Turnbull sought to amend then pass the bill which the majority of the Liberal Party did not support.^[62] Abbott named his Shadow Cabinet on 8 December 2009.^[63]

Abbott described Prime Minister Rudd's Emission Trading plan as a 'Great big tax on everything' and opposed it. The Coalition and minor parties voted against the Government's ETS legislation in the Senate and the legislation was rejected. Abbott announced a new Coaltion policy on carbon emission reduction in February, which committed the Coalition to a 5 per cent reduction in emissions by 2020. Abbott proposed the creation of an 'emissions reduction fund' to provide 'direct' incentives to industry and farmers to reduce carbon emissions.^[64] In April, Rudd announced that plans for the introduction his ETS would be delayed until 2013.^[65]

When appointed to the Liberal leadership, the subject of Abbott's Catholicism and moral beliefs became a subject of repeated media questioning. Various commentators suggested that his traditionalist views would polarise female voters.^[66] Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard accused Abbott of 'lecturing' women when he responded to a question from a women's magazine by saying that he would tell his own daughters that virginity was 'a gift' not to be given away 'lightly'.^[67] He told press gallery journalist Laurie Oakes that he does not do doorstop interviews in front of church but regularly faces pointed questions about his faith which were not being put to the prime minister, Kevin Rudd, who attended Anglican services every week.^[68]

In a 60 Minutes interview aired on 7 March 2010, Abbott was asked: "Homosexuality? How do you feel about that?". He replied: "I'd probably feel a bit threatened ... it's a fact of life and I try to treat people as people and not put them in pigeonholes."^[69] In later interviews Abbott apologised for the remark.^[70][71] Unknown to journalists at the time, Abbott has a lesbian sister, for whom he has subsequently voiced public support.^[72]

In March 2010, Abbott, announced a new policy initiative to provide for 6 months paid parental leave, funded by an increase in corporate tax by 1.7 per cent on all taxable company income of more than $5 million. Business groups and the government opposed the plan, however it won support from the Australian Greens.^[73]

During his time as Opposition Spokesman for Indigenous Affairs, Abbott spent time in remote Cape York Aboriginal communities as a teacher, organised through prominent indigenous activist Noel Pearson. Abbott has repeatedly spoke of his admiration for Pearson, and in March 2010, introduced the Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill to Parliament in support of Pearson's campaign to overturn the Queensland government's Wild Rivers legislation. Abbott and Pearson believe that the QLD law will 'block the economic development' of indigenous land, and interfere with Aboriginal land rights.^[74]

Abbott completed an Ironman Triathlon event in March 2010 at Port Macquarie, New South Wales and in April set out on a 9 day charity bike ride between Melbourne and Sydney, the annual 'Pollie Pedal, generating political debate about whether Abbott should have committed so much time to physical fitness.^[75][76] Abbot described the events as an opportunity to "stop at lots of little towns along the way where people probably never see or don't very often see a federal member of Parliament."^[77]

In his first Budget reply speech as Opposition Leader, Abbott sought to portray the Rudd Government's third budget as a "tax and spend" budget and promised to fight the election on the new mining "super-profits" tax proposed by Rudd.^{[78] [79][80]}

Election 2010[link]

Shortly before the 2010 federal election, Julia Gillard replaced Kevin Rudd as Australian Labor Party leader and Prime Minister of Australia after it emerged that Rudd no longer held majority support within party caucus.^[81]

On 17 July, after receiving the agreement of the Governor-General, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the next federal election would be held on 21 August 2010.^[82] Polls in the first week gave a view that Labor would be re-elected with an increased majority, with Newspoll showing a lead of 10 points (55–45) two party preferred and the Essential poll similarly reflecting Newspoll.^[83]

The two leaders met for one official debate during the campaign. Studio audience surveys by the Channel 9 and Seven Network suggested a win to Gillard.^[83] Unable to agree on further debates, the leaders went on to appear separately on stage for questioning at community fora in Sydney and Brisbane. In Sydney on 11 August, Abbott's opening statement focused on his main election messages of government debt, taxation and asylum seekers. An audience exit poll of the Rooty Hill RSL audience accorded Abbott victory.^[84] Gillard won the audience poll at Broncos Leagues Club meeting in Brisbane on 18 August.^[85] Abbott also appeared for public questioning on the ABC's Q&A program on 16 August.^[86]

Labor and the Coalition each won 72 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives,^[87] four short of the requirement for majority government, resulting in the first hung parliament since the 1940 election.^[88][89][90]

Abbott and Gillard commenced a 17 day period of negotiation with the crossbenchers over who would form government. On the crossbench, four independent members, one member of the National Party of Western Australia and one member of the Australian Greens held the balance of power.^[91][92] Following the negotiations, the incumbent Gillard Labor government formed a minority government with the support of an Australian Greens MP and three independent MPs on the basis of confidence and supply, while another independent and the WA National gave their confidence and supply support to the Coalition, resulting in Labor holding a 76-74 tally of votes on the floor of the Parliament.^[93] The Coalition finished with 49.88 percent of the two party preferred vote.^[94] obtaining a national swing of around 2.58%.^[95]

During negotiations, the Independents requested that both major parties' policies be costed by the apolitical Australian Treasury. The Coalition initially resisted the idea, citing concerns over Treasury leaks, however the Coalition eventually allowed the analysis. Treasury endorsed Labor's budget costings but projected that Coalition policies would only add between $860 million and $4.5 billion to the bottom line (the Coalition had projected that its promises would add about $11.5 billion to the budget bottom line over the next four years).^[96][97][98]

Post 2010 election[link]

Following the 2010 election, Abbott and his deputy, Julie Bishop, were re-elected unopposed as leaders of the Liberal Party.^[99] Abbott announced his shadow ministry on 14 September, with few changes to senior positions, but with the return of former leadership rival Malcolm Turnbull, whom he selected as Communications spokesman.^[100] Abbott announced that he wanted Turnbull to prosecute the Opposition's case against the Gillard Government's proposed expenditure on a National Broadband Network.^[101]