Sydney, October 20: Australia’s ruling government has lost its parliamentary majority at a crucial election on Saturday. Kerryn Phelps has won Wentworth by-election to fill the void left by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The ruling government has lost its one-seat majority in Canberra. The Liberal Party candidate Dave Sharma suffered a projected swing of more than 20 per cent against him. Turnbull quit Parliament after being removed from the party leadership in August. Australia PM Malcolm Turnbull Loses Ministers in Leadership Battle

It has cost the current prime minister, Scott Morrison a single-seat majority in Parliament. The government is now in minority in the parliament. The next parliamentary elections in the country are due in May next year. Before this loss, Wentworth had always been a stronghold for the Liberal Party. The Labour Party said that the swing against the Government was significant. Scott Morrison Becomes The New Prime Minister of Australia, Replaces Malcolm Turnbull

Phelps is an orthopaedic surgeon who was the first woman and first lesbian to be elected president of the Australian Medical Association. During her election campaign, she highlighted her decades of living and working in Wentworth and her commitment to addressing climate change. Analysts believed that because of Wentworth voters’ frustration against the Liberal Party for removing Turnbull from the party leadership.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2018 03:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).