Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his Labor Party were defeated quite decisively in an election that sees the return of a Liberal-National Party coalition to power for the first time in six years. Kevin Rudd’s defeat comes months after challenging former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard for the leadership of the Labor Party. Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott will be the new Australian prime minister and will tackle such issues as the economic slowdown, the plight of foreign refugees, and the carbon tax.

[BBC]